The three-day World New Energy Vehicle Congress kicked off in Haikou, capital of South China's Hainan province, on Thursday, featuring two plenary forums focusing on the low-carbon development and new ecosystem of the automotive industry, along with several parallel thematic forums.

In an interview with China Daily, Hou Fushen, secretary-general of the China Society of Automotive Engineers, co-organizer of the congress, said: "We aim to share our successful experiences and achievements in NEV development, fostering collaboration to collectively drive the electrification transformation of the global automotive industry."

One of the highlights of this year's congress is an increase in international participation, with representatives from 23 countries attending. A new forum on international investment and trade in the auto sector has been introduced, featuring discussions with representatives from eight countries, Hou said.

Over the past five years, NEV development has exceeded expectations. In 2019, China's NEV sales barely surpassed 1 million units and only accounted for 5 percent of total vehicle sales. In the first three quarters of this year, domestic NEV sales reached 7 million units, and the market penetration rate exceeded 30 percent.

"This congress plays a positive role in industry development. At the first WNEVC five years ago, we set a target for global NEV penetration to reach 50 percent by 2035," said Hou. "Each subsequent annual consensus has addressed concerns such as policies, technological innovation, collaboration, industrial chain security and open cooperation."

He also noted the congress helps promote NEV development in Hainan province, where around 50 percent of new cars sold are NEVs currently. Hainan is aiming to become China's first province to cease the sale of gasoline-powered vehicles by 2030.