(Yicai) July 18 -- Tao Hailong, former general manager of SAIC Motor's auto parts unit Huayu Automotive Systems, is the new GM of a joint venture between China's SAIC and Germany's Volkswagen.

Tao will promote technological innovation at SAIC Volkswagen Automotive, accelerate the electrification of brands Audi and Volkswagen, deal with market challenges, and promote high-quality and sustainable development, the Shanghai-based partner announced today.

Jia Jianxu, former GM of SAIC Volkswagen, will become the president of SAIC.

Driven by the core models of Passat, Tiguan, Touareg, and ID series, SAIC Volkswagen sold 512,000 cars in the first half of this year, up 2 percent from a year earlier, while sales of electric vehicles jumped 80 percent to nearly 60,000 units.

Before Tao became an executive at Huayu, also known as HASCO, he used to work for SAIC Volkswagen in the quality assurance and manufacturing departments and even SAIC.

Besides traditional components, HASCO makes smart parts and products for electric cars. Last year, it earned CNY7.2 billion (USD994 million) in net profit, making it the most profitable business unit of SAIC. Its revenue rose 7 percent to CNY168.6 billion (USD23.1 billion).

Editor: Emmi Laine