BERLIN, March 22 (Reuters) – Germany’s car industry could learn from China’s disciplined industrial planning, Volkswagen CEO Oliver Blume said in an interview released on Sunday, as the automaker pushes ahead with deep restructuring to stay competitive. “The Chinese proceed in a very planned way … and have clear priorities – it is structured in […]
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Volkswagen CEO tells newspaper German carmakers should look to Chinese planning
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BERLIN, March 22 (Reuters) – Germany’s car industry could learn from China’s disciplined industrial planning, Volkswagen CEO Oliver Blume said in an interview released on Sunday, as the automaker pushes ahead with deep restructuring to stay competitive.
“The Chinese proceed in a very planned way … and have clear priorities – it is structured in an optimal way,” Blume told Bild am Sonntag.
“What we experience very positively in China is a high level of discipline and willingness to execute,” he said. “It is worth looking beyond our own backyard … we can learn a great deal from how the country has developed.”
Blume also pointed to strong competition for Volkswagen in the Chinese market, which he said included “over 150 competitors and strong innovation dynamics”.
The company plans to cut 50,000 German jobs by 2030 as part of an ongoing overhaul, Blume reiterated in the interview.
(Writing by Friederike HeineEditing by Peter Graff)