GAC's brands prove a success

Editor's Note: China Daily kicks off a special series on homegrown companies' growth, branding strategies and business operations. The series will look at industry segments like auto manufacturing, pharmaceuticals, new materials, home appliances, childcare products and industrial cables. The series' first part takes stock of Chinese automakers' ambitious future plans.

Guangzhou Automobile Group Co Ltd, one of China's major carmakers, has long been known for its production and sales of Japanese car brands such as Toyota and Honda, since it established joint ventures with the Japanese car giants more than a decade ago.

However, the Guangzhou-based carmaker started developing a homegrown car brand eight years ago, at a time when the domestic market was almost entirely dominated by foreign brands.