“A thousand cars, if we just put them out there, we’ll sell them all.”
Ge Jinqiu spoke over the phone with a slight Northeastern accent, his tone sounding like a joke.
He oversaw Dr. Cha’s overseas business and spent years at the Suifenhe border crossing, watching Russian influencers livestream from the parking lot, filming and shouting, “Hala, huh?”
The scene was far more lively than any new car launch in China.
This boom has been surging since the pilot program for used car exports began in 2019.
Last year, 436,000 vehicles were sold in one go, a year-on-year increase of 46.5%. The figures sound like a stock market magnate, hitting five daily limit-up days in a row. Southeast Asia, the Middle East, Europe, Latin America—over 160 countries and regions—are dotted with red flags.
Luo Lei is considered a big brother in the industry, always referring to the “golden age.”
He has a point: China has 400 million vehicles on the road, the supply chain is as mature as an assembly line, and there are a dizzying array of models, all at affordable prices.
But despite the excitement, there are also many hidden dangers. The supply of vehicles is like beans scattered on the ground, scattered here and there; buyers demand “the same model in a container,” but where can they find it? Vehicle conditions are unique, and inspection reports are as thick as novels, making communication costs ridiculously high.
The most embarrassing aspect is after-sales service. Last year, several embassies abroad were blocked by locals, who pointed their fingers and asked, “I bought a used Chinese car. Who do I turn to if it breaks down?”
People in the industry began to wonder: Simply selling cars isn’t enough; they need to offer service as well.
Five days ago, a conference took place near Guangzhou Baiyun Airport. Its name was rather awkward: the 2025 China Used Car Export Ecosystem Conference.
Luo Lei, along with CAR Inc., established the “Used Car Institutional Vehicle Source Export Working Group.” While it sounds like an official organization, it’s actually just a group of people working together to figure out how to source vehicles, set standards, and implement after-sales service.
Li Jia, the vice president of China Auto Rental, wears a sharp suit and speaks like an abacus, rattling off numbers. He explains that the company has 29 central warehouses, five port warehouses, and six overseas offices in China, with 4,000 cars currently for sale. While that sounds like a lot, it’s still struggling to keep up with overseas orders. He does the math: the average price of a used car in China is 106,000 yuan, a quarter of which are domestic brands, and two-thirds are new energy vehicles. With value for money and environmental credentials, they’re practically tailor-made for emerging markets.
Where are these emerging markets? Countries with a per capita GDP of $1,000 to $10,000 are seeing skyrocketing car sales. Nigeria, Pakistan, Indonesia, Bangladesh, Ethiopia—I need to take a breath after reading the list. ASEAN, with a population of 690 million and annual sales of only 3 million vehicles, has enough space to accommodate the entire Chinese auto industry. Eliminate right-hand drive, swing states, and the home markets of Europe, America, Japan, and South Korea, and the remaining 117 left-hand drive countries are the target of China’s used car market.
But how do we get the food on the table? The first challenge is finding a car. Domestic car supply is scattered among individuals and small dealers, like buying tomatoes at the market, with stalls scattered here and there, and collecting a box requires a lot of running around. Overseas buyers often place orders for entire containers and demand the same year, mileage, and condition, which is simply driving those with obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD) crazy.
The second challenge is inspecting the car. A lack of transparency into the vehicle’s condition makes buyers nervous. Ge Jinqiu gave an example: a Russian customer came to China to inspect a car. He would check the 4S dealership’s maintenance records, paint tester videos, and the number of spare keys—everything was checked out, more meticulously than on a blind date. Not only was the cost high, but the time was also prohibitive.
The third challenge is after-sales service. Cheng Bei tells a story: At the beginning of this century, Chinese motorcycles swept Southeast Asia, with prices so low that even the Japanese were stunned. However, quality, accessories, and after-sales service lagged behind, and within a few years, the market was lost. The same trend is now emerging with used car exports. Starting last year, Chinese embassies abroad have received complaints that used Chinese cars are difficult to repair and that warranties are worthless.
Old-timers in the industry slammed the table: We can’t follow the same path as motorcycles. Selling cars is just the beginning; selling service is the long-term solution.
The working group’s plan sounds like building blocks: First, gather institutional vehicle resources: retired rental companies, updated ride-hailing vehicles, repurchased vehicles from financial institutions, vehicles auctioned off by courts, and test drives from OEMs. Standardize standards, ensure transparent vehicle conditions, and offer fair pricing, just like items on supermarket shelves. Then, establish a comprehensive after-sales service system offering accessories, repairs, and maintenance, ensuring international customers have the same peace of mind as buying from a domestic 4S dealership.
GAC’s Li Yongfeng explained that standardized standards are a passport, and the joint overseas repair centers provide reassurance. Gao Dewu was even more direct: “Car Inc. has already done it. We’ve streamlined the entire chain, from pre-sales preparation and logistics to overseas warranty.” Inspection, repair, transportation, and warranty—all linked together like high-speed rail tracks—are a surefire way forward.
The goal is also ambitious: upon completion of the platform, 50,000 vehicles will be available for export in real time, and within ten years, the global share of used car exports by kilometers will increase from 8% to 50%, with annual exports reaching 5 million units. It might sound like bragging, but considering the momentum behind China’s new energy vehicles, who’d dare say it’s impossible?
Before hanging up, Ge Jinqiu added, “A Russian influencer is still livestreaming in the parking lot. If you pass by Suifenhe someday, you might run into him.” His tone was like describing a lively play that had just begun, the drums and gongs starting to beat, the climax yet to come.
