How much of GM does China own?
China does not own General Motors. GM is an American, publicly traded company with a global shareholder base. In China, GM operates through two major joint ventures with Chinese partners, where Chinese entities hold significant stakes, but these arrangements do not grant China ownership of GM itself.
GM’s footprint in China
GM’s presence in China is built around two principal joint ventures with Chinese partners. These partnerships illustrate how Chinese companies participate in GM’s Chinese operations without transferring ownership of GM as a whole.
SAIC-GM joint venture
A 50/50 partnership between GM and SAIC began in the late 1990s to produce Buick models and other vehicles in China. The Chinese partner’s stake is substantial, but the venture is equally owned by GM and SAIC.
- GM: 50%
- SAIC: 50%
In practical terms, this means China controls half of this joint venture, while GM retains its equal stake. This is not an ownership claim on GM itself, but a stake in a China-focused operating entity controlled by a state-backed Chinese partner.
SAIC-GM-Wuling (SGMW) joint venture
SGMW is a three-way joint venture formed to produce low-cost vehicles for the Chinese market, with stakes distributed among SAIC, GM, and Wuling Motors.
- SAIC: 50%
- GM: 25%
- Wuling Motors: 25%
GM’s 25% stake in SGMW means it has a minority but meaningful presence in one of China’s largest domestic auto ventures. This does not equate to GM being owned by China; it reflects GM’s participation in China via a joint venture with a Chinese partner.
What this means for ownership of GM
The bottom line is that GM as a company is not owned by China. It is publicly traded in the United States with a broad base of individual and institutional investors worldwide, and no single government holds ownership of GM. Chinese involvement occurs at the level of joint ventures in China, where the Chinese partner has significant influence in those entities, but GM itself remains independently owned by its global shareholders.
Summary
China does not own General Motors. In China, GM operates through two major joint ventures with SAIC (and with Wuling in SGMW). These JVs involve substantial Chinese stakes, but GM remains an independent, publicly traded company with diverse ownership among global investors. Chinese involvement is through joint ventures rather than direct ownership of GM itself.
