Daniel Kirchert, Luxury carmaker Infiniti's former China head has joined a startup electric car venture backed by Tencent Holdings Ltd and Foxconn Technology Group.（Photo/China Daily）
But independent auto analyst Zhang Zhiyong said the trend goes deeper than skeptics believe.
"Many carmakers have localized, and such behavior is part of localization. They create an emotional connection, and people who speak the same language feel closer."
He referred to Daniel Kirchert. The former head of China operations for Infiniti, the luxury division of Nissan, is fluent in Mandarin and rarely speaks English in public.
"Demonstrating an ability to speak Chinese or show a knowledge of China helps a brand to localize," Zhang said.
