ALF welcomes delegation of Chinese automotive and financial companies to discuss Leasing and Renting

Meeting organised in partnership with the China Automobile Dealers Association (CADA) will take place on 4 September, in Lisbon, and bring together representatives of Chinese companies from the automotive, financial and technology sectors

At a time of rapid transformation in the automotive sector and increasing internationalisation of mobility markets, ALF will welcome, on 4 September in Lisbon, a delegation from the China Automobile Dealers Association (CADA) for a meeting dedicated to the Portuguese Leasing and Renting markets and to opportunities for cooperation between Portugal and China.

The initiative, co-organised by ALF and CADA, with the support of law firm Morais Leitão, will bring together representatives of Chinese companies from the automotive, financial and technology sectors at a particularly relevant time, just days before World EV Day, celebrated on 9 September, and against the backdrop of the growing importance of electric mobility in the transformation of the automotive sector. The participating Chinese companies represent different areas of the automotive value chain and specialised financing.

The meeting aims to provide an integrated overview of the Portuguese and Chinese markets, promoting knowledge sharing on the evolution of Leasing, Renting and automotive finance, while also identifying potential opportunities for investment and economic cooperation.

For ALF, the meeting also represents an opportunity to present Chinese investors and market operators with an overview of the Portuguese market, its regulatory framework and the conditions available for developing business activities and investing in Portugal.

The opening session will be led by Morais Leitão, with a presentation on the Portuguese economic and legal framework delivered by Eduardo Maia Cadete, Partner at Morais Leitão. This will be followed by the presentation “The Portuguese Leasing, Factoring and Renting Markets”, delivered by Luís Augusto, President of ALF, who will provide an overview of recent developments in specialised finance in Portugal, with particular focus on trends in Leasing and Renting and on the transformation of the mobility market.

The Chinese perspective on the sector's evolution will be presented by Wei Zhou, Secretary-General of the China Automobile Dealers Association, in a session dedicated to the Chinese automotive and Leasing markets. The session will provide an opportunity to draw comparisons between trends in the two markets and discuss the challenges and opportunities associated with international expansion.

The programme will also include a session on public incentives for international expansion into Europe through Portugal, led by Alexandra Vilela, President of COMPETE 2030, presenting the conditions and support instruments available to companies interested in investing in Portugal. This will be followed by a presentation on the regulatory framework for autonomous vehicles, delivered by Margarida Torres Gama, Partner at Morais Leitão, addressing issues of risk, compliance and liability associated with the development of this technology.

The fact that the meeting is taking place just days before World EV Day further underlines the relevance of the discussion, at a time when the adoption of electric vehicles is becoming increasingly significant, particularly given the growing presence of Chinese manufacturers and companies in the global electric vehicle market. China has established a leading position in the production and commercialisation of electric vehicles and in the development of technologies associated with new mobility, making cooperation among the different players across the value chain increasingly relevant to the evolution of the European market.

The joint organisation of this meeting by the Chinese association and ALF highlights the importance of Leasing and Renting in financing the automotive sector and facilitating access to mobility, both in Portugal and China, while also positioning ALF member institutions as ideal partners for exploring opportunities for collaboration.

“The transformation of mobility is bringing together sectors that have traditionally been analysed separately. Automotive, finance, technology and energy are now part of the same ecosystem, and Leasing and Renting play a particularly important role in this transformation, given their ability to integrate usage, financing and mobility services. Welcoming a CADA delegation and Chinese companies with significant economic weight and expertise across different areas of this ecosystem is an opportunity to share knowledge, gain a better understanding of the evolution of both markets and identify areas for cooperation,” says Luís Augusto, President of ALF.

For ALF, the initiative, which will bring together Portuguese member companies and Chinese companies, contributes to strengthening the role of specialised finance in its various forms as an instrument supporting investment, business modernisation and the transformation of mobility. In a rapidly evolving automotive sector, shaped by electrification, digitalisation and the arrival of new players and business models, the ability to build bridges between markets and create the conditions for investment and international cooperation will be crucial to the future competitiveness of Portugal’s mobility ecosystem.