China Daily said Zhejiang Geely Holding Group became China’s largest vehicle exporter in July for the first time ever, as its exports continued to see a strong uptrend, despite the overall sector reporting a year-on-year drop in exports for three consecutive months.

The Hangzhou-based company became famous globally after acquiring Swedish automaker Volvo Car Corp in 2010.

In February, Geely set up a research and development center in Gothenburg, Sweden.

The center will develop modular-architecture design projects and sets of components for C-segment cars, addressing the needs of both Volvo and Geely, and leveraging Volvo’s technological know-how.