OREANDA-NEWS. Fiat Chrysler Automobiles N.V. CEO, Sergio Marchionne, and Mike Manley, Chief Operating Officer for the APAC Region and Head of the Jeep Brand, hosted a Chinese delegation in Auburn Hills led by Mr. Hu Chunhua, Member of the Political Bureau of the CPC Central Committee and Secretary of the CPC Guangdong Provincial Committee. Also in attendance were Mr. Cui Tiankai, the Chinese Ambassador to the U.S, and Guangzhou Automobile Group Company (GAC) Chairman, Mr. Zhang Fangyou.

This visit reinforces the strong relationship with the Province of Guangdong where last month the company, with joint venture partner Guangzhou Automobile Group Company (GAC), started local production of the Jeep® Renegade in a new plant located in the City of Guangzhou.

Mr. Hu had the opportunity to view the major products in Jeep’s portfolio for the Chinese market. “We have established a strong relationship with the Province of Guangdong,” said Sergio Marchionne during the meeting. “Last month, together with our joint venture partner GAC, we celebrated the beginning of operations of our new plant in Guangzhou. We are privileged to have the opportunity to contribute to the growth and development of the Chinese auto industry and the province of Guangdong. And we are confident that our operations in Guangzhou will strengthen the local economy by generating significant employment and career opportunities.”

The Guangzhou launch marked another milestone for the company following the announcement and implementation of local production for the Jeep Cherokee, which began at the GAC FCA Changsha plant on October 19, 2015. Local production of the Jeep Renegade further represents the accelerated growth of GAC FCA and the Jeep brand’s increased ability to compete across the SUV market in China.

China is strategically important to Jeep’s development as a global brand. Jeep is now one of the fastest growing brands in China, which has become the number one market for Jeep outside of the U.S. Jeep has set global sales records four years in a row, and China will play an important part in the brand’s continued growth.

During the meeting, Marchionne also underlined that, in addition to Jeep, there are two other brands that have great potential in China and globally: Maserati and Alfa Romeo. “Maserati captivated the Beijing International Automotive Exhibition last month with the unveiling of the Levante, the first SUV in Maserati’s hundred-year history,” said Marchionne. “Alfa Romeo has not yet arrived in China, but we are counting on it being an increasingly important market as the brand develops a full line of premium sports cars. Our plans for these brands,” he added, –“demonstrate both our confidence in and commitment to being a major player in the development of the Chinese auto market.