My CIIE Story ? Great Opportunity: Hyundai grows with China's auto industry at same pace

Editor's Note: The fifth China International Import Expo will open in less than a month. In October, several participants of the CIIE will tell their stories themed around "great opportunity" to showcase the positive changes the expo has made to the world and how it has helped build a community with a shared future for mankind over the past five years.

Hyundai Motor has been participating in the CIIE for four consecutive years since 2018 and achieved accelerated growth in the past few years.

At the first edition, we only showcased our Hyundai brand, but last year, we brought four brands – Hyundai, Kia, Genesis, and Mobis – to the expo. The number of models exhibited had been also increasing and our booth had expanded from 600 square meters to 2,100 sq m.

Various advanced technologies and products by Hyundai were presented to Chinese consumers and enterprises at the CIIE. During the fourth edition, we showcased hydrogen fuel cell vehicles, electric cars, imported cars and urban air mobility solutions.

The CIIE is an ideal platform for foreign companies to establish connections with Chinese customers. After displaying products that we plan to introduce to the Chinese market, we received feedback from a great many professional visitors and consumers. This has helped Hyundai develop products catered to China and expand its presence in the country.

For example, we launched a Chinese edition of our hydrogen fuel cell SUV Nexo, which was first showcased at the inaugural CIIE, during the fourth expo. The SUV, which meets China's standards, has received a license in Beijing and completed a test drive on open roads. It will be available for sale in China this year.

HTWO Guangzhou, Hyundai's first hydrogen fuel cell production and sales hub outside South Korea, will also start operations by the end of this year. Through these efforts, we hope to provide Chinese consumers with new green mobility solutions and gain a stronger foothold in the Chinese market.

The CIIE has also helped Hyundai find partners from different sectors. During the COVID-19 outbreaks, they did a lot to help our suppliers resume production.

Personally, as the director of public relations at Hyundai China, I have gained more knowledge about hydrogen fuel cell technology through participating in the CIIE.

Hyundai has reaped large benefits from the CIIE and is ready for this year's fifth edition. China is an important market for us and we are determined to further capitalize on opportunities offered by the CIIE.