Ahead of China's two important sessions, many reform plans are being proposed by the country's policymakers. In the northeast, where state owned enterprises (SOEs) still hold a dominating position in the economy, promoting mixed ownership has been the buzzword in recent years.

After several rounds of mergers and acquisitions, the Brilliance Group - local auto giant from Shenyang - came up with the least expected product: A caravan. It was a decision made by the board of directors, including private investors whose voices count.

“To be successful in the caravan industry requires the company to respond quickly to market trends. The participation of private investors in the decision-making process helps realize the plan; it wouldn't be possible if it was in the rigid system of typical SOEs,” said Li Mingcheng, executive director of caravan division of Brilliance Service Vehicle in Dalian.

Most SOEs in China are controlled by the central government, which owns at least half of their shares. Under this arrangement, the central government sees anyone who buys shares as financially motivated, and gives them little or no say in the company’s planning and decision making process. The new plan is to treat investors as partners who can profit through their holdings by working with SOEs to create new products and services.

The caravan business is a huge success within the auto group: Workers were taking extra shifts to meet delivery time even during the Spring Festival holiday. In a market economy, capital flows to where profits are. Besides caravans, the SOE has also rolled out new energy service vehicles in its product list.

CGTN takes a ride with the managing director of Brilliance Service Vehicles, Jiang Yuhua, in their recently developed new energy bus. He said: "The biggest advantage of a mixed ownership structure for large SOEs is that, the state owned firm has the funds, and the private capital knows better what the market wants. After the reform, removing the state from day-to-day control and strengthening the role of shareholders is leading to progress."

The mixed ownership reform that Brilliance Auto has carried out is the first of its kind in Liaoning Province. Nationwide, China picked a group of 31 SOEs for the third round of mixed ownership reform last November to further diversify the ownership structure, going beyond mergers, acquisitions and reorganization. The aims are to eliminate zombie companies, curbing overcapacity, and streamlining administration. In simple terms - letting the market decide.

In an exclusive interview with the senior management from Brilliance Auto Group, CEO Liu Pengcheng vows to further push the mixed ownership reform, in areas like the production of core components, and the doors are wide open for private capitals.