Volkswagen followed the next year with its joint venture in Shanghai, and General Motors established Shanghai GM in 1997.

FORBES: Winners And Losers In China's Car Market

Shanghai GM, as the joint venture has come to be known, has since gone on to become one of the leading passenger car companies in China.

FORBES: Ford Affiliate To Buy China Truck Maker

At the new technical center near Shanghai, GM and its Chinese partners are jointly developing new cars based on GM components, including such high-tech elements as electric-car batteries, dual-clutch transmissions and lightweight materials.

WSJ: Edward Niedermeyer: Welcome to General Tso's Motors

According to statements to the press made by company officials at the Shanghai Auto Show, GM is targeting 100, 000-plus exports of Chinese-made cars this year, a record, with export growth likely to be more than 50%.

WSJ: Edward Niedermeyer: Welcome to General Tso's Motors

The first big one was between GM and SAIC, set up when GM won the bid for a JV in Shanghai in 1995.

FORBES: Japan's Automakers Face New Challenges (1): Toyota in China

One of GM's co-investors in Daewoo is Shanghai Automotive Industry Corp.

FORBES: Stolen Cars

On Apr. 20 General Motors (nyse: GM - news - people )' Rick Wagoner unveiled a new Buick model at the Shanghai Auto Show, at an event Carlson ran.

FORBES: Grabbing The Torch

At the time, Ford had just been bested by General Motors Company (NYSE:GM), its North American rival, in a hotly contested competition to form a joint venture with Shanghai Automobile Industry Corporation to produce passenger cars in China.

FORBES: Ford Affiliate To Buy China Truck Maker