BOAO, Hainan, July 2 (Xinhua) -- The 2019 World New Energy Vehicle Congress kicked off in the city of Boao, southern China's island province of Hainan, Tuesday.

To be concluded on Wednesday, the congress focuses on discussions about new energy vehicles (NEVs) market among leading worldwide vehicle manufacturers.

China is a global leader in manufacturing NEVs with over 200 types of new energy cars launched in the first half of 2019, and the Chinese government has a clear road map to beef up the industry, said Horbert DIESS, chairman of the Board of Management of Volkswagen AG, at the congress.

"Reform and opening up is a driving force for China's auto industry since it enables the industry to go global and attract world attention," said Fu Yuwu with the China Society of Automotive Engineers.

The ongoing technological revolutions have also propelled the auto industry into vigorous and prompt actions, said Wan Gang, president of the China Association for Science and Technology.

Wan added that auto retailers around the world should seek cooperation and innovation and make due contribution to the industrial upgrading of the auto market.

By the end of 2018, over 5.64 million NEVs have been sold around the world, and China accounted for 52.8 percent of them.