Gerpisa Colloquium in Shanghai Highlights China’s Central Role in Global Automotive Industry
The 33rd International Colloquium of Gerpisa, held from June 24th to 27th 2025 in the School of Economics and Management at Tongji University, Shanghai, convened for the first time in China. Centered on the theme “The Central Role of China in the Global Automotive Industry,” the conference attracted more than 60 renowned scholars from 14 countries, alongside senior industry executives and policymakers. Participants were engaged in in-depth discussions on industrial automative policies, smart vehicle technologies, supply chain innovation, labor transformation, among others. The colloquium also saw the launch of two Gerpisa books focused on the global automotive industry, and an exclusive session to meet with the Editor-in-Chief of the International Journal of Automotive Technology and Management (IJATM). This gathering served as a high-level platform for academic and industry exchange, promoting the co-evolution of theoretical development and practical application in the automotive industry.
Mr. Shiliang Lu, research specialist at the CAREC Institute, was invited to present at one of the sessions, where he emphasized the critical role of electric vehicles (EVs) in climate change mitigation. He highlighted the urgent need for EV adoption to reduce greenhouse gas emissions from the transport sector and stressed the importance of developing robust EV infrastructure in the CAREC region. Mr. Lu proposed actionable recommendations such as strengthening domestic business environment to attract more EV related FDI, phasing out fossil fuel subsidies and shifting toward renewables, and integrating local automakers into global value chains. He also encouraged CAREC countries to join international initiatives on electromobility to foster collaboration and accelerate their EV adoption process. His insights underscore the transformative potential of EVs in promoting environmental sustainability and economic development in the region.