Senior Chinese officials have called for efforts in global cooperation to advance the development of the new energy vehicle sector that is gaining momentum around the world.

Wan Gang, president of the China Association for Science and Technology, said on Saturday that the country will expand high-level opening-up to promote global efforts in electric, smart and low-carbon development.

Wan made the remarks on Saturday at the annual China EV 100 Forum held in Beijing.

International brands are old friends of China and they are welcome to contribute to the NEV sector's development, said Wan, former minister of science and technology.

He also proposed deepening cooperation between nations via bilateral or multilateral organizations including the World New Energy Vehicle Congress.

At the same forum, Xin Guobin, vice-minister of industry and information technology, said the auto industry is "global in nature" and the NEV sector requires more cross-regional and cross-industry cooperation.

China will stick to the principle of open and win-win cooperation to build a market-oriented, law-based and international business environment, and strengthen cooperation with different countries in NEV technologies, trade as well as standards and legislation, said Xin.

The year 2022 marked a milestone for the global NEV sector, with sales soaring 63.6 percent year-on-year to exceed 10 million units, and more than half of them were sold in China, said Mary Warlick, deputy executive director of the International Energy Agency.

She expects China to continue its role as a major driver of the sector, where global sales are expected to reach at least 30 million by 2030.

While most of the current NEV sales in China are from local Chinese brands including BYD, international carmakers are speeding up their efforts.

German premium carmaker BMW said it will present the biggest-ever lineup of NEVs at the Shanghai auto show in April. This year, it will offer 11 electric models in China, its largest market worldwide.

Shao Bin, president of BMW China Automotive Trading Co, said around half of the company's global sales will be NEVs by 2050.

In terms of carbon neutrality efforts, only green electricity is used at BMW's production base in Liaoning province and 37 non-production sites across the country.

Volkswagen, China's best-selling international carmaker, is expected to invest 15 billion euros ($16.3 billion) in e-mobility with its Chinese partners by 2024. By 2030, it aims to electrify most of the group's portfolio in the country.

Stefan Mecha, CEO of Volkswagen China Passenger Cars Brand, said: "I have never seen a country develop as quickly as China. The momentum of transformation towards e-mobility in China is unstoppable." He expects one in three vehicles sold in China this year to be an NEV, up from one in four in 2022. Last year, the carmaker's electric vehicle sales in China soared 68 percent year-on-year.