Commercial vehicle manufacturer China National Heavy Duty Truck Group Corp, or Sinotruk, delivered the first batch of 34 new street washer vehicles to the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region government on Monday.

The delivery marked Sinotruk's important step in gaining a toehold in the competitive Hong Kong market, which has stricter automotive fuel and emissions standards.

Wang Bozhi, chairman of the Jinan-based company, said the significant move laid a foundation for the country's heavy truck producers to expand their businesses in developed markets.

It also underscores mainland manufacturers' growing influence in the overseas markets, Wang said during the delivery ceremony.

The vehicles meet Euro 6 emission limits, the highest emissions standard imposed by the European Union, with the aim of improving air quality.

Patrick Ho, general manager of Regal Motors Ltd, a Sinotruk distributor in Hong Kong, said government vehicle procurements are very stringent in the SAR and most of the recent orders have been won by Japanese or European brands.

Sinotruk won the bid this time due to its excellent product quality, superior performance, cost efficiency, and user-friendly design, Ho said.

For years, Sinotruk has been adjusting its product mix, in an attempt to expand its high-end products in developed economies such as Europe and the United States, Wang said.

Since launching its internationalization strategy in 2004, the company has sold its products to more than 100 countries and regions around the world, while building 15 assembly plants abroad, including in Nigeria, Ethiopia and Vietnam.

Lan Junjie, general manager of the international department at Sinotruk, said there are several challenging sales assignments this year.

"Part of this year's focus is to stabilize the sales volume in the key markets in Africa and Southeast Asia, and to restore the markets like Russia, Algeria and Peru, where Sinotruk used to have solid sales," Lan said.

As the Belt and Road Initiative advances, the company is exploring the possibilities of tapping the market in Eastern Europe, as part of its strategy to fortify the high-end markets, Lan added.

According to Sinotruk's overseas development plan, its annual sales of medium and heavy duty trucks in overseas markets are forecast to reach 60,000 vehicles by 2020, accounting for 35 percent of the company's total sales.