In the remarkable journey of SAIC-GM-Wuling’s growth, one individual has led transformative change and united collective strength, guiding the company to become a new benchmark in the Chinese automotive industry. He is Yao Zuoping, a representative of the 14th National People’s Congress, Party Secretary and Deputy General Manager of SAIC-GM-Wuling Automobile Co., Ltd., and a 1985 alumnus.
In the grand tapestry of the automotive industry, Yao Zuoping stands out as a pivotal figure in SAIC-GM-Wuling’s development, distinguished by his exceptional leadership and unwavering passion for the automotive sector. With profound professional expertise and keen market insight, he has steered the company to innovate and break through in fierce market competition, creating a remarkable legacy of growth that has garnered industry-wide attention and injected powerful momentum into the Chinese automotive industry.
Innovation-Driven, Forging Ahead
In 1985, Yao Zuoping graduated from Wuhan Automotive Polytechnic University, one of the predecessor institutions of his alma mater. During his time at the university, he studied diligently, amassing a wealth of professional knowledge and actively participating in practical activities. These experiences honed his rigorous logical thinking and spirit of exploration, laying a solid foundation for his future career.
After graduation, driven by his aspirations for the automotive industry, Yao Zuoping joined Liuzhou Mini-Automobile Factory (the predecessor of SAIC-GM-Wuling Automobile Co., Ltd.). Starting from grassroots positions, he immersed himself in the production line, refining his technical skills across various aspects of automotive manufacturing. Undeterred by complex processes and relentless technical challenges, he maintained a proactive attitude, humbly seeking guidance and collaborating closely with workers to overcome technical hurdles. Through this hands-on approach, he steadily accumulated rich practical experience, building a strong foundation for his future achievements.
As the automotive industry rapidly evolved, Yao Zuoping recognized that technological innovation was the key to maintaining a competitive edge in the market. Leveraging the professional knowledge gained at his alma mater and years of practical experience, he actively engaged in the company’s research and development efforts, leading teams to tackle numerous technical challenges.
The engine, as the heart of a vehicle, directly impacts its quality and competitiveness. Yao Zuoping spearheaded in-depth research into engine technology, focusing on enhancing power performance, fuel efficiency, and emission standards. Under his leadership, the team comprehensively optimized engine combustion, intake, and exhaust systems. By refining designs, incorporating cutting-edge materials, and adopting advanced manufacturing techniques, they successfully developed a series of high-performance engines. These engines significantly improved vehicle power, reduced fuel consumption, and lowered emissions, meeting the growing demand for energy-efficient and eco-friendly vehicles.
Amid the global automotive industry’s shift toward new energy vehicles (NEVs), Yao Zuoping decisively led SAIC-GM-Wuling into the uncharted waters of the NEV sector. Recognizing the critical importance of battery technology, he organized teams to research battery materials, management systems, and charging technologies. He fostered close collaborations with renowned domestic and international research institutions and partnered with leading industry players to address challenges such as limited battery range, long charging times, and unstable safety performance. Through a series of innovations and optimizations in battery technology, SAIC-GM-Wuling’s NEVs achieved significant improvements in range, drastically reduced charging times, and ensured battery safety. These efforts culminated in the launch of several highly popular NEV models, contributing significantly to the development of China’s NEV industry.
With keen market insight and forward-thinking strategic vision, Yao Zuoping accurately grasped market demands and industry trends, formulating scientific and rational development strategies for the company. He actively promoted the company’s internationalization strategy, with the independently invested Indonesian subsidiary achieving cumulative sales exceeding 160,000 vehicles. Notably, the Air EV, SAIC-GM-Wuling’s first global NEV model, became the official vehicle for the 2022 G20 Summit, the Egypt Global Climate Summit, and the 2023 ASEAN Summit, thanks to its outstanding performance and exceptional energy efficiency. In Indonesia, Wuling not only became the most popular Chinese automotive brand but also maintained a commanding 64% share of the NEV market, establishing significant influence for Chinese NEVs.
Yao Zuoping also championed the internationalization of Chinese automotive standards. He collaborated with relevant institutions to establish the China-ASEAN Automotive Standards and Regulations Research Center and participated in formulating NEV standards in Indonesia, consistently promoting Chinese automotive standards. These efforts provided robust support for the overseas expansion of Chinese automotive brands. Under his leadership, SAIC-GM-Wuling’s products transcended borders, reaching international markets in Southeast Asia, India, South America, and beyond. The company’s cumulative overseas exports have surpassed 1.2 million vehicles, with products distributed across more than 40 countries and regions, including South America, the Middle East, Africa, and Southeast Asia. These achievements continue to contribute to China’s ambition of becoming an automotive powerhouse and advancing global green development with a national brand.
People-Centric Approach, Uniting for Success
Yao Zuoping deeply understands that talent is the core competitive strength of an enterprise. He is committed to building a cohesive and innovative team. In talent selection, Yao adopts an open and inclusive approach, breaking away from traditional constraints and prioritizing candidates’ overall qualities and potential. In talent development, he emphasizes aligning employees’ personal growth with the company’s progress, encouraging continuous learning and self-improvement. He provides employees with diverse training programs and practical opportunities. Additionally, he actively promotes collaborations with universities and research institutions to establish a robust talent development system, cultivating a group of versatile professionals proficient in both automotive manufacturing and intelligent manufacturing. These individuals have become the backbone of the company’s transformation toward smart manufacturing, providing strong talent support for its sustained growth.
Yao Zuoping focuses on fostering a positive corporate culture, advocating the spirit of “hard work, self-reliance, innovation, and exceptional execution.” He nurtures employees’ sense of responsibility, mission, and teamwork, while providing ample opportunities for career development and advancement. Under his leadership, the company’s workforce exhibits strong cohesion and execution, laying a solid foundation for the enterprise’s progress.
Collaborative innovation and supply chain integration are critical to enterprise development. Yao Zuoping actively drives in-depth cooperation with suppliers, distributors, and research institutions across multiple dimensions, including technology R&D, quality improvement, cost control, channel development, market promotion, and innovation in automotive technology, as well as the cultivation of high-end talent. Together, they have built a mutually beneficial and synergistic industrial ecosystem that fosters collective growth.
Devotion to Alma Mater, Giving Back to Society
With his outstanding leadership, innovative vision, and profound impact on the automotive industry, Yao Zuoping has received numerous accolades, including the “National May Day Labor Medal,” the “Second Prize of the National Science and Technology Progress Award,” the “State Council Special Allowance Expert,” and the “National Model Worker.” In 2023, he was elected as a representative of the 14th National People’s Congress, contributing his wisdom and efforts to the healthy development of the Chinese automotive industry. During the 2025 National Two Sessions, Yao actively offered suggestions, submitting two proposals: “Leveraging Guangxi’s Resource and Location Advantages to Support the Electrification and Intelligent Transformation of the Automotive Industry” and “Further Supporting the Development of Micro and Small New Energy Vehicles.” These proposals aimed to advance the “dual carbon” goals and promote the sustained high-quality development of the automotive sector.
As an exemplary alumnus, Yao Zuoping has always maintained a deep affection and gratitude toward his alma mater. He closely follows the university’s development, frequently returning to engage with faculty and students, generously sharing his experiences and insights. He encourages younger students to cherish their time on campus, diligently acquire professional knowledge, foster innovative thinking, and develop practical skills to prepare for their future careers.
Yao Zuoping actively promotes in-depth cooperation between SAIC-GM-Wuling and the university in talent cultivation and scientific research, striving to integrate industry, academia, and research. In talent development, the university has supplied nearly 1,000 outstanding alumni to the company, with over 20 managers and technical experts pursuing doctoral degrees and more than 80 pursuing master’s degrees at the university. In scientific collaboration, both parties have signed strategic cooperation agreements, project partnerships, and new energy laboratory agreements. They jointly established the Multi-Energy Intelligent Drive and Lean Intelligent Manufacturing Joint Laboratory and the SAIC-GM-Wuling Wuhan Research Institute (Wuhan Talent Enclave). Together, they have undertaken over 20 vertical and horizontal research projects, with collaborative research funding approaching 100 million yuan in the past five years.
Beyond this, Yao places great importance on joint talent cultivation initiatives. In partnership with the School of Automotive Engineering, the company has hosted over 20 editions of the “SGMW Infinite Creativity Competition” and established the “SGMW SAIC-GM-Wuling” Scholarship for over a decade, motivating students to study diligently, strive for progress, and enhance their overall capabilities. The company also offers extensive summer internship opportunities for undergraduates. Through the college’s “Lingyun Youth Summer Social Practice Team,” nearly 20 undergraduates participate in internships at SAIC-GM-Wuling annually.
With his remarkable achievements in the automotive field, Yao Zuoping serves as an inspiring role model for the university’s students. He has not only led SAIC-GM-Wuling to break new ground in the automotive industry, contributing to the prosperity of China’s automotive sector, but also actively fostered deep collaboration between the company and the university, supporting its development and talent cultivation. His journey of perseverance inspires generations of Wuhan University of Technology students to strive for excellence and make their mark in their respective fields.
