China's auto industry tackles challenges to safeguard global industrial chain amid pandemic

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China has been the world's largest auto producer and consumer for 13 consecutive years. Despite the COVID-19 disruption, China's major auto production bases have adhered to the dynamic zero-COVID policy and actively promoted work resumption. This has contributed to the stability of the global automobile industry supply chain.

A ship is loaded with electric cars produced by U.S. automaker Tesla's Shanghai Gigafactory at a port in east China's Shanghai, May 11, 2022. (Xinhua)

Since the beginning of this year, the epidemic has severely impacted auto bases of Changchun, Shanghai and cities in Guangdong and Hubei provinces. In April, China's automobile production and sales declined to a certain extent compared with the same month last year.

As local authorities reined in the highly contagious and elusive virus, they have actively responded to the impact of the epidemic, helping auto producers resume production, develop new energy vehicles and key components such as chips and home brand passenger vehicles, and boost automobile exports.