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Soueast (Fujian) Motor Co., Ltd. (commonly known as Soueast Motor) was established on 23 November 1995 in Fuzhou, Fujian Province. The company was jointly founded by Fujian Motor Industry Group and China Motor Corporation, a subsidiary of Taiwan's Yulon Group. With a registered capital of US$60.3 million and a total investment of US$99.82 million, each party held a 50% stake, making it the largest cross-Strait automotive joint venture officially approved by the Chinese government at the time.
The company manufactures both passenger and commercial vehicles. Its product portfolio has included SUVs and saloons such as the Soueast DX7, Soueast DX3, Soueast V5 Lingzhi, and Soueast V3 Lingyue, as well as the Delica commercial vehicle range.
From its inception, Soueast Motor adopted the corporate philosophy of "people-oriented, pursuing excellence". By integrating advanced international vehicle development and manufacturing expertise, the company progressively strengthened its collaboration with global research and development resources. Its in-house R&D capability evolved from the R&D 1.0 stage, which focused primarily on product introduction, to the R&D 3.0 stage centred on fully independent forward development supported by international resources. The company operates a National Enterprise Technology Centre, with an R&D workforce of more than 600 engineers, planned to expand to 1,000 personnel. By the beginning of 2024, Soueast had achieved cumulative vehicle production and sales exceeding 1.56 million units, with total accumulated revenue of more than RMB 124.8 billion.
Soueast Motor's history is widely regarded as a model of cross-Strait industrial cooperation and can be divided into four principal phases: the initial growth period, the Mitsubishi partnership era, the market decline period, and full integration into Chery Automobile.
Soueast (Fujian) Motor Co., Ltd. was officially established on 23 November 1995, and its first vehicle entered production in July 1996. At the same time, the company attracted 30 component suppliers affiliated with China Motor Corporation in Taiwan to establish operations in Fujian, leading to the development of Soueast Motor City, an industrial complex covering more than 2,900 mu with total investment of US$270 million. The facility incorporated the complete manufacturing process, including stamping, welding, painting and final assembly.
By 2001, Soueast had launched 46 variants across the Soueast Delica and Soueast Freeca light commercial vehicle families. Vehicle production and sales reached 30,000 units, generating RMB 8.3 billion in revenue and RMB 1 billion in tax and profit contributions.
In March 2003, the company's first passenger car, the Ling Shuai, rolled off the production line. Within its first year on the market, it achieved sales approaching 70,000 units.
In April 2006, Mitsubishi Motors acquired a stake in Soueast Motor. Benefiting from Mitsubishi's advanced vehicle technologies, the company experienced rapid growth and successively introduced a number of well-known models, including the Galant, Lancer, V3 Lingyue, Liongshen, Zinger, and Lancer EX.
Soueast reached its historical sales peak in 2013, with annual sales of 116,000 vehicles. In both 2016 and 2017, the company's annual revenue and industrial output each exceeded RMB 10 billion. In recognition of its commitment to automotive design, Soueast received two Red Dot Design Awards in Germany in 2019, highlighting its achievements in vehicle styling innovation.
Following the establishment of GAC Mitsubishi in 2015, Mitsubishi withdrew as a shareholder of Soueast Motor and ceased providing technical support. Having relied heavily on Mitsubishi technology, Soueast struggled to develop independent core capabilities. Product renewal slowed, resulting in a sustained decline in sales.
From 2021 onwards, annual sales fell below 10,000 vehicles, reaching only 8,426 units. By 2023, annual sales of the Soueast brand had dropped to just 1,112 vehicles, while its market share in the internal combustion engine passenger vehicle market contracted sharply. Sales during the first quarter of 2024 were approximately 2,000 vehicles. By September 2024, monthly sales had fallen to zero, with cumulative sales from January to September also recorded as zero.
Although Soueast introduced battery electric models such as the DX3 EV, the company's transition towards new energy vehicles generated only limited market response.
In March 2022, reports emerged outlining a cooperation plan between Chery Automobile and Soueast Motor, under which Chery would provide technical support in exchange for an 80% equity stake. The initial phase involved supplying rebadged vehicles to preserve Soueast's manufacturing qualification, followed by the gradual introduction of new models with a target of 400,000 annual sales within five years.
On 10 March 2024, Chery Automobile Co., Ltd. officially became the sole shareholder of Soueast Motor, completing the company's full integration into the Chery Group.
Before Chery's acquisition, Soueast's product range covered passenger cars, SUVs and commercial vehicles.
SUVs formed the company's primary focus. The principal models included the Soueast DX7 compact SUV, available in both petrol and plug-in hybrid versions, the Soueast DX3 small SUV, including the DX3 EV battery electric model, and the Soueast DX5. The flagship DX9 mid-size SUV adopted an all-new design language and represented the brand's move into a more premium segment. In the new energy vehicle sector, the DX3 EV was introduced as a battery electric SUV, although sales remained limited.
The passenger car and commercial vehicle businesses formed the company's traditional foundation. Passenger car models included the Soueast V5 Lingzhi, V Cross, and V3 Lingyue, while the Soueast Delica light commercial vehicle remained one of the brand's longest-running and best-known products, serving freight transport and group mobility applications.
Following Soueast's transition into a wholly owned Chery subsidiary, the company's brand positioning, product strategy and market priorities underwent fundamental changes, with exports becoming the primary strategic focus.
Soueast subsequently introduced the S Series, developed on Jetour platforms, including the S06, S06 DM, and S09 SUVs. The Soueast S06, positioned as a compact SUV, is effectively a rebadged Jetour Shanhai L6 for the Russian market. It is available with 1.5-litre and 1.6-litre turbocharged petrol engines producing 156 PS and 197 PS respectively, with both front-wheel-drive and four-wheel-drive configurations.
Before Chery assumed control, Soueast's market performance had deteriorated significantly. Sales during the first quarter of 2024 were approximately 2,000 vehicles, while both monthly sales in September 2024 and cumulative sales between January and September were recorded as zero. Annual sales of only 1,112 vehicles in 2023 placed the company close to being included in the Ministry of Industry and Information Technology's special public notice, potentially resulting in the loss of its vehicle manufacturing qualification.
Following Chery's acquisition, Soueast shifted its strategic emphasis towards overseas markets. According to Xinhua News Agency, annual production reached 300,000 vehicles in 2025.
In overseas markets, by November 2025, registrations in Russia had reached 1,974 units for the Soueast S07 and 1,636 units for the Soueast S09. The company has also accelerated expansion into emerging markets including Egypt, Kazakhstan, Chile, and Nigeria. In early 2026, Soueast officially entered the Nigerian market with the launch of the SO9, a three-row D-segment SUV based on Chery technology.
Prior to Chery's acquisition, Soueast's research and development activities focused primarily on complete vehicle engineering and new energy vehicle electrical systems.
The company's R&D centre was equipped with vehicle emissions laboratories, environmental testing facilities, design studios and computer-aided engineering systems, providing capabilities in vehicle styling, body engineering, chassis development and complete vehicle testing. Soueast invested approximately RMB 150 million in expanding its new energy vehicle R&D capabilities, independently developing software for electric drive systems, including vehicle control, motor control and battery management systems. Its engineering team exceeded 600 personnel, with plans to expand to 1,000.
Following Chery's acquisition, Soueast's vehicle development system became fully integrated into Chery's engineering framework. Product development shifted entirely towards mature Chery and Jetour platforms.
In intelligent manufacturing, Soueast partnered with China Unicom Fujian to develop a 5G smart factory, implementing intelligent production line upgrades and manufacturing technology improvements. Minhou County has accelerated expansion of the stamping, welding and final assembly facilities within Soueast Motor City. The extensive deployment of industrial robots and autonomous logistics vehicles has further improved manufacturing efficiency and production quality.
Soueast's current strategic direction is clearly defined: under Chery's integration framework, the company is focusing on overseas exports as its primary growth engine while progressively expanding localised manufacturing and production capacity.
Internationally, Soueast has established a network of 15 sales outlets and five after-sales service centres in Egypt through local partners, with plans to introduce two additional CKD models between 2026 and 2027. In Nigeria, the company has formed a partnership with the Kewalram Chanrai Group, launching the seven-seat SO9 SUV in early 2026 as its first locally introduced model. In Russia, the Soueast S06 entered the market in 2026, joining the S07 and S09 to create a comprehensive SUV product portfolio.
On the manufacturing side, Fuzhou is accelerating expansion of Soueast Motor City. In 2025, the industrial park's annual output value exceeded RMB 100 billion for the first time, with 158 automotive component manufacturers established within the complex. Soueast's annual production reached 300,000 vehicles in 2025, driven largely by Chery's rebadging and export strategy. The company also exhibited relevant models at the 2026 Beijing Auto Show, continuing to strengthen its overseas market presence.
Within the Chery Group, Soueast is positioned as an export hub for China's south-eastern coastal region and as a supplementary production base. Leveraging the advantages of the Fujian Pilot Free Trade Zone and Jiangyin Port, the company is targeting emerging markets across Central Asia, Africa, Southeast Asia and Eastern Europe. This strategy has enabled the efficient utilisation of previously idle production capacity while providing additional growth opportunities for Chery's global sales. Looking ahead, Soueast will continue to prioritise exports, capitalising on Chery's technological capabilities and Fuzhou's geographical advantages to expand further into markets participating in the Belt and Road Initiative, increase local assembly operations, enhance product value, and enter a new stage of development following its historic ownership restructuring and rapid production expansion.
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