Which Chinese company owns GM?
General Motors is not owned by any Chinese company. It is an American multinational automaker whose shares are publicly traded on the New York Stock Exchange, with ownership spread among a broad base of global investors.
Readers often ask about GM’s presence in China, where the company operates through local partnerships rather than ownership by a Chinese firm. This article clarifies the ownership structure of GM itself and explains its key joint ventures in China.
GM's ownership status outside China
Here are the core facts about how GM is owned and who controls it, outside of its Chinese operations.
- GM is a U.S.-based, publicly traded company on the New York Stock Exchange (ticker: GM).
- There is no controlling stake held by a Chinese company; ownership is spread among institutional and individual investors worldwide.
- The top shareholders are generally investment funds and asset managers rather than any single corporate owner.
In essence, GM's ownership is global and not concentrated in the hands of a Chinese firm or any other single national owner.
GM's joint ventures in China
To operate in China, GM uses three main joint ventures with local partners. These partnerships are established to navigate local regulatory rules and market access, rather than to indicate ownership of GM itself.
- SAIC-GM — a 50/50 joint venture between SAIC Motor and General Motors, established to manufacture and market Buick and Chevrolet vehicles in China.
- FAW-GM — a 50/50 joint venture with FAW Group for GM-branded vehicles in China.
- SGMW (SAIC-GM-Wuling) — a three-way joint venture among SAIC, GM, and Liuzhou Wuling Motors with ownership shares typically SAIC 50%, GM 25%, and Liuzhou Wuling Motors 25%; it produces the Baojun and Wuling brands.
These joint ventures illustrate GM’s strategy to operate in China through local partners without transferring ownership of GM itself to a Chinese company.
Details on each joint venture
Understanding the scope of each partner helps explain GM's presence in China: SAIC-GM focuses on core Buick and Chevrolet offerings; FAW-GM supports additional vehicle lines; SGMW covers compact and budget models through Baojun and Wuling brands.
Summary
No Chinese company owns General Motors. GM remains a U.S.-based, publicly traded company, with its Chinese market strategy built on joint ventures with SAIC, FAW, and Liuzhou Wuling Motors rather than ownership of GM itself.
Is GM partnered with China?
GM operates two joint ventures in China. SAIC-GM, its passenger-vehicle partnership with SAIC Motor Corp., produces and markets cars and light trucks for Chevrolet, Buick and Cadillac.
Is SAIc owned by the Chinese government?
Founded in 1955, it is currently the largest of the "Big Four" state-owned car manufacturers of China ahead of FAW Group, Dongfeng Motor Corporation, and Changan Automobile, with sales of 5.02 million vehicles in 2023.
Is Buick made in China sold in the US?
The Envista isn't the only Buick manufactured in China for North America. The Buick Envision, a popular midsize SUV, is also built in GM's Chinese facilities and has been sold in the U.S. since 2016.
Who actually owns GM?
General Motors is a publicly traded company, so it is owned by its shareholders, with institutional investors holding the majority stake. The largest shareholders include The Vanguard Group, BlackRock, and State Street, which own significant portions of the company's stock.
- Institutional Shareholders: Large investment firms like Vanguard, BlackRock, and State Street own the largest percentage of GM stock.
- Insider Ownership: Executives and directors like Mary Barra hold a smaller, but notable, percentage of ownership through their stock holdings.
- Individual and Retail Investors: The remaining shares are owned by individual investors and other public companies.
- Former Government Ownership: Following the 2008 financial crisis, the U.S. government was a major shareholder but divested its stake by 2013.
