Changzheng Auto Works (Changzheng means Long March) was founded in 1958 and in its early years was producing cars and car parts. As was the case with Hongxing, Changzheng was initially called something entirely different and began operations first in Beijing, before moving to Xingtai in 1970. Changzheng was initially called Beijing Xindu Auto Works. A likely reason for this mass exodus of car makers from Beijing as the deterioration of Sino-Soviet relationships in the late 1960’s, Beijing was likely wary of a possible invasion by the USSR and so, using the lessons learnt from the earlier invasions by Japan, moved whole industries to secondary cities further inland as a way of securing manufacturing capacity.
Continue reading “The story of China National Heavy Truck Group (Sinotruk): Changzheng Auto”