NANCHANG, China, June 11 /PRNewswire/ -- Lear Corporation (NYSE: LEA) and
Jiangling Motors Company today celebrated their new joint venture partnership,
Lear-Jiangling Interior System, Inc. in a ribbon cutting ceremony in Nanchang,
China.
    The new company will support the nearby Jiangling Motors plant, supplying
seats and interior trim for Ford Transit Vans and Isuzu Trucks.  Lear and
Jiangling Motors each will hold a 50% share in the company which will operate
from existing facilities in Nanchang.  The new company will provide seats for
150,000 vehicles annually.
    The ceremony was attended by Ken Way, Chairman and CEO of Lear
Corporation, and Mr. Sun Min, Chairman and President of Jiangling Motors, and
several government officials.
    "This represents our first entry into the Chinese market, and we are
pleased to be partnering with Jiangling Motors, a company with an exceptional
reputation," said Ken Way.  "China is  one of the largest and fastest growing
markets in the world.  The combined talents of our two companies, will expand
our reach in this important strategic market."
    Chairman Sun Min stated, "Today's ribbon cutting ceremony and celebration
represent months of hard work and dedication on the part of both companies.
We are looking forward to a long and fruitful partnership."
    In September of 1996, Lear Corporation signed a Letter of Intent with
Jiangling Motors Company at a ceremony at Lear's Ford Division in Dearborn,
Michigan.  In November, Chairman Sun and Lear President and
COO - International, Bob Rossiter, signed a Joint Venture contract in
Nanchang, China.
    Jiangling Motors Corporation, headquartered in Nanchang, China, is a
publicly traded company recently named one of the country's top 300 firms.
Jiangling Motors currently produces light trucks, under license from Japan's
Isuzu Motors Ltd.  Starting in 1997, it will produce the European Transit Van
under license from Ford.
    A Fortune 250 Company, Lear Corporation is one of the world's largest
automotive suppliers, with 1996 sales of over $6.2 billion.  The company's
world-class products are manufactured by more than 45,000 employees in over
140 facilities located in 22 countries.
    Information about Lear and its products is available on
the Internet at http://www.lear.com.

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