Ji Yue Auto Management Disputes

BEIJING (Reuters) – China’s Geely and Baidu announced on Friday plans to assist in resolving disputes within their electric vehicle venture, Ji Yue Auto, concerning employee welfare and severance payments.

The announcement came after videos surfaced on social media, showing Ji Yue Auto's CEO, Xia Yiping, surrounded by employees at their Shanghai headquarters, demanding payment details.

Ji Yue Auto stated on Wednesday its intention to seek new funding and implement operational adjustments amid fierce market competition, marking a struggle echoed by several smaller startups during a significant price war in the world's largest auto market.

Ji Yue representatives have not commented on the situation surrounding unpaid workers and the scenes at their headquarters.

Founded in early 2021, Ji Yue Auto aims to develop smart electric vehicles powered by Baidu’s autonomous driving technology and Geely’s vehicle hardware expertise.

In their statement, Geely and Baidu promised to ensure the normal use, after-sales, and maintenance services for their customers' vehicles, and emphasized the need to address other issues in a reasonable and legitimate manner.