Nanjing Automobile reinforced its commitment to Longbridge yesterday by unveiling plans to establish it as an international research centre and resume limited production of the MG brand.

Although it will employ only about 200 people at the site, the Chinese company said it was looking to make 15,000 MG TF sports cars annually, with production expected to restart early next year.

This compares with the 110,000 Rover models produced in the year before MG Rover collapsed last year with the direct loss of 6,500 jobs.

The Birmingham plant will also be a research and development centre, complementing a similar site in China and helping Nanjing understand its crucial UK and European markets.

The company also said it would not be exercising the six-month get-out clause agreed when it signed a 33-year lease with landlords St Modwen.

At present 57 specialists are employed at the Longbridge factory and Nanjing president Yu Jianwei said: "We will look to recruit more people once production starts. It could be up to two, three or four times on top of what we have at present. Without doubt we will create many jobs."

Longbridge will be one of two sites in the world making the next generation of MG cars - the other will be in China - and Mr Yu, at a press conference in London yesterday, insisted: "Car enthusiasts all over the world can be reassured that MG, one of the great motoring brands, is safe in our hands."

He added that plans for a new factory in Oklahoma were still at an early stage and under discussion.

Nanjing will invest an initial £10 million into its Long-bridge venture and while it was looking for outside funding, including the British Government, the success of the project did not depend on it.

Dealers from France, Germany, Spain and Portugal had already been approached to sell the new MGs and had expressed optimism, and Mr Yu said he was hopeful British dealers would follow suit.

Meanwhile work has already begun with specialist design and component companies, including Lotus, Arup and Stadco.

The Government and local politicians welcomed the "re-birth" of the iconic MG brand but Dave Osborne, the Transport and General Workers Union's national secretary for the car industry, said Nanjing's plans were in "stark contrast" to earlier indications of 100,000 cars being built and 1,200 jobs being created.

However, Councillor Ken Hardeman, the city council cabinet member for regeneration, said: "We have to look at this as a kind of beginning. I was hoping for a clearer signal about job numbers, but you cannot have hundreds of jobs until the production line is up and running.

"I am quietly optimistic about their commitment to Birmingham and Longbridge."

Richard Burden, the Labour MP for Northfield said he hoped it was a success. "The R&D investment bodes well because it means Nanjing are looking to the long term."

A DTI spokesman welcomed Nanjing's announcement as testament to the strength of the West Midlands as an automotive centre, while Rachel Eade, programme manager at the Accelerate supply chain initiative, said: "We are encouraged by the news today and see it as opportunity to build on Nanjing's supply chain inquiries."