Russian Media: China Is Rapidly Surpassing Japan, Reshaping the Global Automotive Market!

Six Chinese enterprises have entered the ranks of the world's largest automakers.

Dmitry Kapustkin, a Russian expert, wrote an article on April 2 in "Today's China."

2025 has become a turning point—after this, Chinese automakers can no longer be called "followers."

According to Japan's Nikkei News, for the first time in history, Chinese automakers surpassed their Japanese counterparts in sales: approximately 27 million versus around 25 million.

This figure includes passenger vehicles and commercial vehicles, as well as domestic sales and exports.

This is not just a set of numbers—it marks the end of an era.

Since 2000, Japan had held the leading position, and its current decline symbolizes a genuine market revolution.

A senior analyst from Mizuho Bank’s Japan division stated: "The main focus is not just quantity, but also the quality of Chinese products."

In the electric vehicle sector, BYD has already overtaken Tesla to become the global leader.

This is not merely theoretical leadership—it has been solidified through specific models.

Vehicles like the BYD Seal and BYD Dolphin have become symbols of a new wave: technologically advanced, relatively affordable, and rapidly iterated.

Why has China succeeded?

Russian experts believe China's rapid rise in the automotive industry stems from its comprehensive competitiveness: advanced technology, cost advantages, and exceptionally fast R&D speed—the key word here is speed.

Chinese automakers develop new models several times faster than their competitors, reduce costs through scale and localization, and quickly adapt to markets ranging from Europe to the Middle East.

While traditional giants (now rightly referred to as "former" leaders) are still transitioning from "internal combustion" to "electric," Chinese companies have already lived this reality.

As the Mizuho Bank analyst pointed out, Japan now "must re-examine its electrification and global strategy."

Naturally, this is not limited to Japan—it also includes all countries once regarded as "automotive powers," from Germany to South Korea.

The Chinese automotive industry is no longer a "substitute"—it has become a new center of power.

It not only leads in production volume but also dominates in speed, technology, and aggressive expansion into global markets.

Russian experts reflect:

If yesterday's question was "Can China catch up with the leaders?"

Then today's question is: Who can truly stop it?

Original source: toutiao.com/article/1861308410721288/

Disclaimer: The views expressed in this article are those of the author alone.