Chinese carmaker rivalry sparks BMW layoffs – and blowback for China’s rust belt

When massive lay-offs took place at BMW’s manufacturing base in northeast China – the German carmaker’s largest production hub worldwide – the entire city felt the shock.

Starting from November 2, BMW Brilliance – a joint venture between the German brand and Chinese firm Brilliance Auto where BMW holds a 75 per cent share – in Shenyang, Liaoning province, began a major round of lay-offs, aiming to cut an estimated 1,800 to 2,000 jobs, multiple sources told the South China Morning Post.

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