Modularization, Supplier System and Production System in the China's Automobile Industry

加入世界贸易组织后，中国汽车产业从政府保护市场阶段进入全球竞争阶段。加入WTO将对中国汽车工业产生巨大的影响，中国汽车市场将在加入WTO的基础上大幅开放，中国汽车市场的竞争将超过日本汽车市场。中国汽车产业的特点是“中国汽车市场的全球竞争”，这一点也许是对的，汽车零部件产业与汽车装配业一样，都具有竞争力。例如，在板材生产企业方面，约翰逊控制、李尔、麦格纳、伟世通、阿拉科、塔切斯、高岛屋日本公司等开始在中国生产，欧美的汽车制造商和系统供应商也开始实施模块化战略。模块化意味着将更大的单元外包给供应商。例如，大众汽车公司在巴西的雷森德、捷克的Bole Slav、前德国的Mosel等地以模块化理念建设了新工厂，欧美的汽车制造商和系统供应商也试图在中国引进模块化。例如，伟世通与上海汽车工业（集团）成立了一家合资企业，即上海华立汽车装饰系统有限公司。该公司为上海大众和上海通用提供集成驾驶舱模块。此外，该公司还与美国天合公司成立合资公司，为该驾驶舱模块提供安全气囊。如上所述，毫不夸张地说，中国汽车工业进入了“国内汽车市场全球竞争”的新阶段。

By the accession to the World Trade Organization (WTO), the Chinese automotive industry transforms from the stage of protected market by the government to the stage of the global competition. Accession to the WTO would have big impacts on China's auto industry.In the result of the substantial liberalization of the Chinese auto market based on the WTO accession as mentioned above, the China's auto market become more competitive than Japanese auto market. Perhaps it is right to say that Chinese auto industry is featured as "global competition inside the Chinese automotive market".The auto parts industry is competitive as the same as vehicle assembly. For instance, in the case of sheet manufacturers, Johnson Controls, Lear, Magna, Visteon, Araco, Tachies, and Takashimaya-Nippatsu started production in China.The U.S. and European automakers and system-suppliers geared up the modularization strategy. The modularization means the outsourcing of subassemblies in larger units to suppliers. For instance, Volkswagen built the new plants based on the concept of modularization in Resende (Brazil), Bole Slav (Czech), and Mosel (former East Germany).The U.S. and European automakers and system-suppliers try to introduce the modularization in China. For instance, Visteon established a joint venture, Shanghai Yanfeng Automotive Trim Systems, with Shanghai Automotive Industry (Group). This company supplies the integrated cockpit module to Shanghai VW and Shanghai GM. In addition, this company establishes a joint venture with TRW and supplies the airbag for this cockpit module.As mentioned above, it is no exaggeration to say that the Chinese auto industry entered the new stage of as "global competition inside domestic auto market".