The Second Odyssey of the World’s Motorcycle Capital: Four Decades Building the Industrial Bedrock

The Second Odyssey of the World’s Motorcycle Capital: Four Decades Building the Industrial Bedrock | Let’s Meet

How did one city grow into one of China’s most important motorcycle production hubs? Chongqing's bond with motorcycles began in 1979, when it leveraged military-industrial expertise to launch its "military-to-civilian" transition, manufacturing China's very first civilian motorcycle, the Jialing CJ50. By the 1990s, this foundation had birthed industry giants like Lifan, Zonsen, and Loncin. Although its early overseas ventures suffered setbacks in Southeast Asia due to fierce price wars, Chongqing's motorcycle industry has gradually transformed toward high-end, electric, and smart manufacturing. Over more than four decades, it has built a complete industrial ecosystem, charting a path from breakthrough and downturn to transformation and upgrading.

This episode traces Chongqing's motorcycle industry from its very beginnings. It covers the late 1970s "military-to-civilian" transition at state-owned defense factories, the building of a complete supply chain, and the industry's first ventures overseas along with the hard lessons of global competition. Looking back across nearly half a century of industrial accumulation, it shows how Chongqing grew step by step into one of China's major motorcycle manufacturing bases, laying the industrial foundation for a new era of global competition.