The boss of VolkswagenOliver Blume, sees the state-controlled economy as China a role model for Germany. “The Chinese are very planning with so-called five-year plans and have clear priorities there,” he told the newspaper Picture on Sunday. “It is optimally structured. And what we experience very positively in China is a high level of discipline and motivation to implement the topics.”
Blume advocated taking a closer look at the Chinese economic model. It’s worth looking over your own garden fence. “Looking at how other countries do it, and in China we can also learn a lot about how the country has developed,” said Blume.
The Chinese one Economic model of state capitalism under the leadership of the Communist Party differs fundamentally from the market economy system of western industrialized countries. China’s economic successes are based, among other things, on the close integration of the private sector and state leadership. Central control enables rapid mobilization of capital and resources for large-scale strategic projects, but is accompanied by extensive government subsidies, limited judicial independence and the absence of free trade unions.
Blume is calling for more speed from the federal government
The European Union also sees this Success of the Chinese automobile industry in Europe as a result of government subsidies and accuses China of distorting competition. The confederation of states therefore put import tariffs on electric cars from China into effect in October 2024. At the beginning of 2026, the EU Commission followed up and Minimum prices for Chinese electric cars proposed.
Blume confirmed the goal of cutting around 50,000 jobs in Germany in a socially acceptable manner by 2030. Regarding reports of possible factory closures, he said: “We will continue to review capacities in the future.” Overcapacity costs money, which is why the plants have been linked to “clear factory cost targets”. This applies not only to Germany and Europe, but also to China.
With a view to the measures taken by Chancellor Friedrich Merz’s black-red coalition to support the Auto industry said the Volkswagen boss: “I have the impression that the new federal government is attacking the right issues.” Now it will be crucial to “decide quickly and put a concrete plan for implementation behind the respective topics”. It must be measured how progress is being made. “Now I really hope that we can pick up the pace there.”