This July, more than 1,200 government officials, experts, and business representatives from around the world will attend the World New Energy Vehicle Congress (WNEVC) in Hainan, China's southernmost island province, announced Zhang Jinhua, deputy executive director and secretary general of China Society of Automotive Engineers, at a press conference of China Association for Science and Technology (CAST) in Beijing on April 9. 

CAST and the government of Hainan province will host the WNEVC 2019 from July 1 to 4. The meeting will consist of three segments including panel discussions about upgrading energy technologies, an exhibition of energy efficient designs for vehicles, and an award ceremony for the most recent breakthroughs in the green automotive industry. 

Under the theme "New Era, New Reform, New Industry," the upcoming congress will highlight the growing trend of electrification, artificial intelligence, and shared mobility in this field, focusing on the integration of New Energy Vehicles (NEVs) in smart city practices and the coordination between automobiles, energy, transportation, information, and communication industry. These trends will transform the automotive industry from fossil fuel-based cars to NEVs both in China and globally. 

The ecological upgrading of the automotive industry was first introduced in 2016 when Norway imposed a ban on petrol powered cars and aimed to phase out the use of these cars by 2025. Since then, an increasing number of developed countries and multinational enterprises have set agendas to promote vehicle electrification and the application of artificial intelligence in automobiles. 

Meanwhile, China has also accepted the responsibility in developing its green automotive industry and contributed to improving the global environment and energy issues. According to statistics from China Association of Automobile Manufacturers, last year, more than 1.25 million NEVs was produced and sold in China, and the domestic market share of NEVs increased to 4.4%. On Feb. 1, the Ministry of Information and Technology of China organized the research program for the prospect of NEV industry from 2021 to 2035, expecting to set a specific principle for NEV development in the next 15 years. 

Still, despite the promising future of NEVs, the entire automotive industry in China has experienced negative growth since 2018 for the first time in 28 years. In response to the sluggish trend, Zhang expressed his concern for the downward pressure on China's economy during the press conference, while also re-emphasized the significance of NEV's contribution to China's automotive industry. 

"NEV has become a highlight of the growth and innovation of the automotive industry, which is driven by technology and led by market demands. Government, enterprises, and companies are working to accelerate the transformation and upgrading of China's automotive industry," Zhang said. 

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