hankyoreh

By Kim Kyung-rok

The Hyundai Motor Group announced Friday that it plans to join the Communist Youth League of China’s philanthropic efforts. The auto company and the youth league held a ceremony marking their cooperation on Friday in Beijing's Great Hall of the People. Over the next five years, the group will provide billions of won in funding for desertification prevention efforts and a traffic safety campaign.
The Communist Youth League, a youth organization for the Communist Party of China with 100 million members and three million subsidiary organizations, enjoys major influence over the country's politics and government. Its leader, first secretary Lu Hao, is considered a strong contender for the next generation of Chinese leadership. The organization is also known as the "political home" of current Chinese president Hu Jintao.
This marks the first large-scale social contribution effort the league has founded with a specific company. Communist Youth League previously organized an event for the three years between 2008 and 2010 in which Toyota and the league awarded prizes for environmental achievements. But it said this was the first time it had ever engaged in a large-scale social contribution effort in which it jointly contributed funding.
Analysts interpreted the move as intended to establish a solid ally for the automaker in the Chinese automobile market, which is becoming more and more competitive as major automakers like Toyota and General Motors have added on-site factories to beef up their presence.
An official with Beijing Hyundai Motor said the Communist Youth League pledged to actively promote the joint effort through major government-controlled media like China Central Television and the People's Daily.
"Hyundai Motors can expect a substantial improvement in its corporate image and publicity," the official added.
After passing the million-unit sales mark in China in 2010, Hyundai Motors continued its strong growth by selling 1.23 million vehicles in 2011. As of November 2011, it was ranked fourth in the Chinese market behind GM, Volkswagen, and Nissan. Kia Motors placed seventh.

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