No instant success
Auto analyst Jia Xinguang noted domestic brands should not expect rapid success in their efforts to move up market.
"Currently, to fight pressure from foreign brands, most self-developed brands have a clear goal of high-end models," he said."But they don't stick to a consistent, long-term branding strategy, especially when facing difficulties in sales. This is not wise."
For a long-term strategy, domestic automakers should place more importance on improving product quality rather than just emphasizing sales, Jia said.
He also suggested they continuously improve dealer networks and management to build their brands.
Internet portal Tencent and the State Information Center organized an online survey of consumer attitudes about domestic brands last April, which showed respondents thought that quality is the symbol of being "high-end".
The survey found that customers were most concerned with the "quality gap" between self-developed models and those made by foreign automakers.
At 75, he travelled in Europe; at 98, he got a master's degree; at 102, he published an autobiography.