GWM International president Parker Shi has gone wildly off script at an event in Melbourne, lauding US President Donald Trump and recalling how he told dealers not to call his cars ‘shit’.
Speaking about the Chinese automaker’s strategy at its 2025 Tech Day – attended by dealers, media and other invited guests – Mr Shi departed from the teleprompter at the back of the packed hall to share his views on what became a 40-minute monologue.
With microphone in hand, Mr Shi started with a rhetorical question for the assembled audience as he delved into the car company’s broader strategy.
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“Who is the most successful man in the world? What is the human being looking for? They’re looking for power, looking for money, and they’re looking for name,” he said.
“Donald Trump is the one. He’s the one.”
Against that background, Mr Shi moved on to branding as he focussed on the dealers in the room.
“For the customers, for the branding, for the profit – you follow GWM. GWM make you rich,” he said.
Mr Shi then went on to talk about a conversation with a dealer he had in South Africa around 15 years ago.
“He said, ‘Parker, you know this is shit – I’m not going to buy that’.
“I say don’t talk shit, it’s my food. I don’t need that. Don’t insult somebody’s food as an example of shit – because I’m making money, you know – feeding my family with shit. You, this shit makes you rich.
“From that day, he never talked about the shit… we have to understand we have to build something together.”
The remarks were a breath of fresh air amid a barrage of public-relations polished speaking notes – like the ones on the teleprompter Mr Shi deviated from – but also likely caused angst within those very PR departments.
GWM is the top-selling Chinese brand in Australia so far this year, with a 23.3 per cent sales increase to 39,343 vehicles, well ahead of next-best MG with 32,620 sales.