China's four ministries summon truck, bus makers over safety, illegal modifications

The First Department of Equipment Industry of the Ministry of Industry and Information Technology (MIIT), the Traffic Management Bureau of the Ministry of Public Security, the Department of Atmospheric Environment of the Ministry of Ecology and Environment, and the Department of Quality Development of the State Administration for Market Regulation (hereinafter referred to as the four relevant departments) recently organized discussions with key manufacturers of trucks, buses, special-purpose vehicles, trailers, and motorcycles. The meetings were held as part of the special campaign to enhance product consistency and quality in road motor vehicles (hereinafter referred to as the Quality Improvement Campaign).

Key Meeting Highlights

The discussions focused on:

• Briefing participants on the current vehicle product safety situation
• Deploying key tasks such as product safety hazard inspections and supervision checks

Concerns Raised

The meeting emphasized that recently, certain automobile and motorcycle products have shown deficiencies in production consistency, testing, and verification. Some have even engaged in illegal modifications, "large tonnage with small labeling," and "large tank with small labeling" — violations that endanger road traffic safety and damage the image of Chinese brands.

All automobile and motorcycle manufacturers were urged to:

• Learn from these cases and draw broader lessons
• Firmly establish the principle of "safety first, quality above all"
• Take full responsibility for ensuring product quality and safety, as well as protecting public safety and citizens' lives and property

Requirements for Manufacturers

The meeting called on automobile and motorcycle manufacturers to thoroughly implement the decisions and plans of the Party Central Committee and the State Council, and to meet the requirements of the Quality Improvement Campaign. Specific requirements include:

1. Take primary responsibility for product safety — Strengthen compliance awareness, strictly follow the Announcement management requirements for product access, and resolutely resist illegal modifications, "large tonnage with small labeling," and "large tank with small labeling."

1. Conduct thorough safety risk inspections — Systematically identify issues in production consistency, reliability, durability, and testing verification — both within the company and among key component suppliers — and carry out corrective actions.

1. Strengthen production consistency assurance — Improve systems such as certificate management, enhance incoming inspection of key components and final vehicle inspection, and ensure traceability of key production processes. Mass-produced vehicles must comply with national standards and management requirements and be consistent with the parameters of the type-approved models in the Announcement.

1. Enhance vehicle function testing and safety assessment — Strengthen R&D testing and verification capabilities, fully assess vehicle safety performance, and strictly prohibit "radical innovation" lacking scenario validation or the installation of "illegal structures" suspected of illegal modifications or overloading.

Next Steps

The four relevant departments will:

• Strengthen coordination
• Deepen the Quality Improvement Campaign
• Conduct supervision and inspections on key manufacturers of trucks, buses, special-purpose vehicles, trailers, and motorcycles
• Strengthen management of road motor vehicle inspection and testing institutions
• Handle problematic manufacturers and inspection/testing institutions in accordance with laws and regulations
• Publicly expose violations
• Resolutely uphold the safety底线 of vehicle products and promote high-quality development of the automobile and motorcycle industries

Meeting Participants

The meeting was attended by representatives from:

• The First Department of Equipment Industry (MIIT)
• The Traffic Management Bureau (Ministry of Public Security)
• The Department of Atmospheric Environment (Ministry of Ecology and Environment)
• The Department of Quality Development (State Administration for Market Regulation)
• The Equipment Industry Development Center (MIIT)
• The China Association of Automobile Manufacturers
• The China Motorcycle Chamber of Commerce
• Over 30 key vehicle manufacturers

Previously, the First Department of Equipment Industry (MIIT) also held discussions with key passenger car manufacturers to deploy key tasks related to passenger car safety hazard inspections and supervision checks.