GM And SAIC Have Extended Their Joint Venture For 20 Years More

General Motors and China’s SAIC Motor have extended a decades-long Chinese joint venture that was set to end next year, the American automaker said.

The extension comes amid a rapidly changing automotive landscape in China, which includes the rapid rise of domestic automakers and a shift away from traditional Western brands and traditional joint ventures.

GM declined to disclose financial details of the extension, which comes amid heightened geopolitical tensions between the US and China, including a potential ban on Chinese brands and vehicles in the US.

The biggest detected change in the dynamics of the agreement is its duration. The initial contract signed in 1997 was for 30 years, and now the companies have announced a 20-year extension of the 50-50 joint venture until 2047.

GM noted that the deal will focus on redirecting domestic sales of Buick and Cadillac models in China while exporting products, including Chevrolet models, made in China to markets outside the US.

“We are committed to strong results in the Chinese market and see significant opportunities to compete in select international markets: the Middle East, Africa, South America, Mexico and the Asia-Pacific region,” said GM China President John Roth.

Optimism about exports comes as China has rapidly moved from an isolated market to the world’s largest exporter of vehicles in recent years.

China was GM’s top sales market from 2010 to 2023, but changing dynamics have forced the Detroit automaker and its joint venture partners to restructure operations.

The Chinese automaker’s earnings fell from $2 billion a year in 2018 to two consecutive years of losses in 2024 and 2025. GM reported $248 million in equity income in the first six months of the year after restructuring that cost the automaker $1.1 billion in special charges last year.

GM reports that the joint venture has produced and delivered more than 20 million vehicles since its inception in China.

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