China's Chery open to partnering with US automakers, executive says

WUHU, China, Oct 21 (Reuters) - Chery 9973.HK is open to partnerships with US automakers, a senior executive told Reuters on Wednesday, as China's top car exporter looks to expand in North America following rapid growth in Europe and elsewhere.

Chery, which sells the Omoda and Jaecoo brands, is one of several Chinese automakers disrupting the global industry with advanced technology and prices that legacy car companies have struggled to match.

Chery is making preparations for a brand launch in Canada early next year, Vice President Charlie Zhang also said in the interview at the company's headquarters in the eastern city of Wuhu.

For now, Chinese car companies remain effectively locked out of the United States, the world's second-largest auto market, where they face tariffs of more than 100% and data security regulations.

"The US, obviously, we are trying to look for different options there," Zhang said, emphasising Chery's flexibility.

"We're very open to different options, even a potential partnership with American automakers," he said. Zhang's comments are some of the clearest yet about Chery's American ambitions, although he did not go into specifics about the kind of partnerships he envisions.

Zhang said he was confident that Chery would find a way to target the US, saying it would be possible to build a car that was not reliant on Chinese hardware or software.

"Definitely from a technical point of view, we will be able to find a China-free solution in terms of hardware and software," he said.

Established on the banks of the Yangtze River, Chery's first car rolled off the assembly line in 1999. It was originally known as Cheery and billed itself as a cheerful, low-cost brand. Now it sees itself in the mould of Toyota 7203.T, synonymous with quality, and Tesla TSLA.O, which is known for its innovation.