Heavy-goods makers' exports up

Shanqi Xinjiang Automoble's sales inside the autonomous region have fallen by more than 50 percent since the start of this year, due to the sluggish demand and a plunge in new property construction, he said.

The company has annual production capacity of 15,000 trucks, but has only been operating a single production line inside its factory, which delivered just 3,000 units in 2014.

"Even for the country's top five truck makers, a yearly production volume of 100,000 trucks is out of the question at present," said Ke.

"It's a challenge being faced by all heavy-machinery makers, if they solely rely on the domestic market."

Ke said his company redirected its expansion strategy overseas, as soon as the country proposed the Belt and Road Initiative, and is planning to build an assembly plant in Kazakhstan to increase export sales.

The new facility will enable the automaker to reduce the cost of custom duties, he said, and improve its competitive edge in the local market.

"Compared with other leading foreign products, our advantage still lies in price. We need to protect that as we expand overseas," he said.

The Kazakhstan plans are likely to be repeated elsewhere along the Silk Road Economic Belt, he said, to further increase volumes.

"We expect the heavy-duty truck market to pick up in the later part of next year as the Belt and Road Initiative, and its related projects, become a reality."