Group 1 - BMW Group's Chairman Zipse visited China with German Chancellor Merz and signed a memorandum of understanding with CATL to promote collaboration in the battery supply chain and reduce the carbon footprint of electric vehicles [2] - China is a core part of BMW's global strategy, with over 120 billion yuan invested in the Shenyang production base and the establishment of four R&D innovation centers and three software companies in the country [2] - The new generation BMW iX3 long-wheelbase version, the first domestically produced model, is set to make its global debut at the Beijing Auto Show in April [2] Group 2 - CATL is the world's largest power battery supplier and announced in September 2022 that it would supply cylindrical batteries for BMW's new generation models starting in 2025 [2] - Prior to this partnership, BMW's battery suppliers included third-party companies such as Envision AESC and EVE Energy [2]