A German luxury giant and a Chinese SUV king are quietly rewriting the rules of auto joint ventures

For most foreign carmakers, the script in China has long been simple. Find a local partner, transfer some technology, build cars for the local market, and collect profits. The relationship is rarely equal, and rarely deep. But every so often, the script gets torn up.

Two days after apologising, Wei Jianjun tried to plant a flag. On the evening of March 6, the Great Wall Motor chairman did something many auto executives would avoid.