In line with his attendance of the Chinese Grand Prix at the Shanghai International Circuit, FIA President Mohammed Ben Sulayem met with several high-ranking officials and business representatives in Beijing and Shanghai.
The President’s first meeting joined him with Mr. Heping Yang, Vice-President of the China Tourism Automobile and Cruise Association (CTACA), whereby the two men exchanged ideas about the future of mobility in the region. Ben Sulayem then met with His Excellency Hussain bin Ibrahim Al Hammadi, Ambassador of the UAE to China, and Mr. NING Pei, Director of the Trade Development & Cooperation Center ATA Division in the China Council for the Promotion of International Trade (CCPIT).
After Beijing, Ben Sulayem’s next stop was Shanghai where he first attended a dinner at the residence of His Excellency the Ambassador Mikael Hemniti Winther, Consul General of Denmark to Shanghai.
Ahead of the Chinese Grand Prix, the FIA President met with Mr. Guojun Zhan, President of the Federation of Automobile Sports of China (CAMF), and Mr. Hugo Chen, President of the Chinese Taipei Automobile Federation (CTAF). Further meetings followed with Mr. Peter Goh, CEO of Hong Kong, China Automobile Association (HKAA), and Mr. Baek-Jin SUNG, President of Korea Automobile Association (KAA).
On the day of the race, Ben Sulayem met privately with the Mayor of Shanghai Mr. Gong Zheng. During the traditional pre-race walk, he also met with former NBA basketball star Mr. Ming Yao, before enjoying the first Chinese Grand Prix races since 2019 alongside Mr. Jinqiang Zhou, the Vice-Minister of the General Administration of Sports in China.
Moreover, Ben Sulayem had an insightful discussion with Mr. Li Shufu, the President of Chinese automotive manufacturer Geely, during which they went over the huge technological advancements made by the Chinese automobile industry.
Commenting on his visit to China, President Ben Sulayem said: “I want to thank the various representatives of our Member Clubs in China for their warm hospitality and productive meetings on the future of sport and mobility”. He added: “The Chinese auto industry is at the forefront of advances in mobility and it is particularly pleasing to see first-hand the gains being made in China in the area of sustainability. This country rightly deserves its place as a globally-recognized automotive technology hub.”
In regards to the Chinese Grand Prix and the future of motorsport in China, Ben Sulayem said: “It was impressive to see the huge crowd which turned out at the Chinese Grand Prix on its return to the FIA Formula One World Championship calendar. Growing motorsport in China is crucial to our mission of doubling motorsport globally, and I am confident that we will see growth at grass roots level through our relationships with our Member Clubs, both Sport and Mobility.”
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