One of China's top heavy vehicle manufacturers, China National Heavy Duty Truck Group, also known as Sinotruk, in recent years has been expanding into overseas markets and accelerating its pace of internationalization, especially in countries and regions involved in the Belt and Road Initiative, according to the company's spokesperson.

The comments were made to a media group of more than 20 press officials and journalists from Asian and European countries during a fact-finding tour and trip to the manufacturer's headquarters and production line in Jinan, capital city of Shandong province, on July 1.

The company said its products are sold to more than 110 countries and regions in the world, and its sales volume has ranked first in China's heavy truck industry for 14 consecutive years, accounting for nearly half of the total exports of the industry.

This year, from January to April, the number of exported vehicles reached 12,589, accounting for 48 percent of the industry market, maintaining first place in the export of heavy trucks in China.

Established in 1956, China National Heavy Duty Truck Group, the parent company of Sinotruk, has become the largest heavy vehicle production base in China and has made outstanding contributions to the development of heavy vehicle industry and national economic construction.

In 2007, Sinotruk went public on the Hong Kong Stock Exchange as a red chip company – a company based in the Chinese mainland that is incorporated internationally.

In keeping with China's opening-up, Sinotruk agreed upon a strategic partnership with German commercial vehicle and heavy duty parts manufacturer MAN, in 2009, consolidating the company's intention to compete in the international market.

In 2013, as the Belt and Road Initiative was introduced, Sinotruk was able to use its technological advantages to establish its first plant outside of China, constructing a manufacturing base in Lages, Brazil at a cost of $300 million.

In recent years, Sinotruk has ramped up efforts to expand businesses in overseas markets. By building production bases through investment, joint venture, cooperation or merger and acquisition, it has realized localized production, manufacturing and sales.

So far, Sinotruk has set up 74 overseas representative offices and distribution service offices and has developed more than 260 dealers, nearly 600 service outlets and parts supply stations in more than 90 countries.

It has established 18 overseas cooperative knockdown production plants globally and 16 hubs of automobile parts in 12 countries and regions in Africa, the Middle East, Central and South America and Asia.

More than 20 press officials and journalists from Asian and European countries visit the headquarters of Sinotruk Group, a major Chinese truck manufacturer headquartered in Jinan, Shandong province on July 1. [Photo by Zhang Renyu/provided to chinadaily.com.cn]

A foreign journalist poses for a photo with a HOWO T7H-440 model heavy duty truck. [Photo by Zhang Renyu/provided to chinadaily.com.cn]

A foreign journalist gives thumbs up to a HOWO T7H-440 model heavy duty truck. [Photo by Zhang Renyu/provided to chinadaily.com.cn]

A foreign journalist takes photos of parameters of auto parts displayed at Sinotruk Group in Jinan, Shandong province on July 1. [Photo by Zhang Renyu/provided to chinadaily.com.cn] 

A foreign journalist takes a closer look at the auto parts displayed at Sinotruk Group in Jinan, Shandong province on July 1. [Photo by Zhang Renyu/provided to chinadaily.com.cn]