Despite trade tensions, Ford's special models for the Chinese

Ford on Sunday announced the creation of its own product research and development center and operations center in Nanjing, Jiangsu Province.

The centers will be the development of the Ford Research and Engineering Center, one of the nine largest product development centers of the company in the world.

Ning Chen, chairman and CEO of Ford China, said the two centers should provide full support to Ford's marketing strategy in China.

This plan allows Ford to launch more than 30 new Ford and Lincoln cars designed specifically for the Chinese over the next three years, including more than 10 electric cars, the agency said.

Nanjing has attracted a large number of car and parts manufacturers in recent years and has built a complete industrial chain covering manufacturing, research and development, sales and logistics.

Last year, the city's auto production amounted to 900,000 units.

Lan Shao Min, governor of Nanjing, said that by cooperating with leading car manufacturers, the city was strengthening its innovation and fundamental competitiveness in the new energy vehicle sector.

The US Treasury Department announced Monday that it had decided for the first time since 1994 to clbadify China as a currency manipulator, shifting the trade dispute into a zone of reflection and increasing mbadive sales in global financial markets .