According to China Economic Net, Gao Hongxiang officially took over from Li Jin as the Board Director and Executive Vice General Manager of GAC Honda Automobile Co., Ltd. on August 7, becoming the “Chinese top executive” at GAC Honda.
As a veteran of the GAC Group, Li Jin joined Guangzhou Honda in March 2004 as the head of the Corporate Management Department, and in February 2006, he was transferred to the Deputy Head of the Purchasing Department at GAC Honda. Between 2006 and 2016, Li Jin held executive positions at several GAC joint venture subsidiaries, including GAC Changfeng, GAC Fiat, and GAC FCA. In November 2022, Li Jin returned to GAC Honda, taking on the roles of Board Director and Executive Vice General Manager at GAC Honda, as well as Chairman of GAC Honda R&D Co., Ltd. and Board Director of GAC Honda Sales Co., Ltd.
At that time, although GAC Honda still had a certain influence in the traditional fuel vehicle market, it faced significant challenges brought by industry transformation. The new energy vehicle market was rapidly rising, and consumer demands were shifting. GAC Honda’s strategy in the new energy sector was relatively behind, and there was an urgent need for transformation. Under Li Jin’s leadership, GAC Honda implemented a series of measures to accelerate its shift to new energy. He led initiatives to upgrade production lines with intelligent technologies, apply safety technologies, and promote green manufacturing reforms. He proposed the “Comprehensive Extreme Reform” strategy to tackle the competition in the new energy market. In terms of production, GAC Honda shut down one of its fuel vehicle production lines in Guangzhou and opened a new line dedicated to new energy vehicles, signaling its commitment to transformation. The company strengthened strategic cooperation with the China Automotive Technology and Research Center in areas such as intelligent connectivity and carbon neutrality, and actively partnered with industry giants like CATL, DeepSeek, and Momenta to accelerate development in the smart electric vehicle sector.
Compared to Li Jin, public information on Gao Hongxiang is relatively scarce. However, according to a post by GAC Toyota Engine Co., Ltd. on its official WeChat account, Gao’s prior position before becoming GAC Honda’s “Chinese top executive” was Board Director and Executive Vice General Manager at GAC Toyota Engine Co., Ltd., where his only superior was Kondo Kazuaki, the Board Director and General Manager. This suggests that GAC Honda’s leadership change is a continuation of GAC Honda’s appointment of GAC Toyota executives after Zheng Heng.
The official website indicates that GAC Toyota Engine Co., Ltd. (GTE) was established in February 2004 as a joint investment by GAC Group and Toyota Motor Corporation. As a manager with extensive experience in engine R&D and manufacturing, Gao Hongxiang has a deep understanding and rich experience in automotive power systems. Now that he is joining GAC Honda, his technical background and the experience he has accumulated at GAC Toyota are expected to bring new development ideas to GAC Honda.
In recent years, GAC Honda’s performance has been less than ideal, and Gao Hongxiang faces the critical task of leading the company out of its difficulties and revitalizing it. While the challenges are significant, opportunities also exist. At this critical moment of transformation in the automotive industry, GAC Honda, a company that has been established for 27 years and accumulated a solid technical foundation, remains one of the leading domestic joint ventures. There are high expectations that Gao Hongxiang will fully leverage his professional advantages and leadership skills to lead GAC Honda in making breakthroughs in product development and technological innovation, enhancing the influence of the Chinese side in the company, strengthening cooperation with the Japanese side, and jointly advancing GAC Honda’s development in the new energy and intelligent sectors. GAC Honda urgently needs to prove its value within a limited window of opportunity, and Gao Hongxiang’s responsibility is heavy as the new executive. It is understood that the current joint venture agreement for GAC Honda will expire on May 13, 2028.
