UPDATE 1-China's Xpeng appoints former Great Wall Motor executive as president

(Adds details and background)

SHANGHAI, Jan 30 (Reuters) - China's Xpeng Inc said on Monday it had appointed Wang Fengying, the former vice chairman of Great Wall Motor, as the electric vehicle (EV) startup's president.

In her new role, Wang will be responsible for Xpeng's product planning, product portfolio management and sales operations, Xpeng said in a statement. She will report to the company's chairman and chief executive officer He Xiaopeng.

Wang, 52, previously worked in Baoding, Hebei-headquartered Great Wall Motor for over 30 years and is one of the few experienced female leaders in China's automobile industry.

She had also served as the National People's Congress delegate since 2008 and often submitted policy proposals to the central government to improve China's auto industry including encouraging auto chip development and optimising the utilisation of factory output capacity.

Wang joins Xpeng at a time that the EV sector is facing intensifying competition and tensions of a price war after Tesla largely slashed prices for its Model 3 and Model Y vehicles earlier this month.

Xpeng and Huawei-backed EV brand Aito have followed Tesla's move and prices for their best-selling models. (Reporting by Zhang Yan, Brenda Goh; Editing by Kim Coghill and Rashmi Aich)