Foreign Car Makers Eager to Enter Chinese Market

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 ◆ Foreign Car Makers Eager to Enter Chinese Market

Prices on imported cars will be generally cut from 12 percent to 15 percent after tariff is cut starting on January 1 next year. This is beyond doubt a prime opportunity for imported cars to enter Chinese market. BMW and Benz have already carried out their strategies to get into China's market. On the second day after China's entry into the WTO, BMW opened its first exhibition hall in Guiyou Building in Beijing. Benz also exhibited its SL500 open wagon in Shanghai not long ago to show its sincere intention. In addition, Rolls-Royce , Audi and other car-makers are also mapping out plans to enter Chinese market. Compared with the "excitement" of European and American car manufacturers, Japanese carmakers felt unhappy. China imposed a 100 percent special tariff on Japanese cars exported to China starting from last June since Japan imposed sanctions against China's green onions in last April. This has landed the Japanese carmakers in an unfavorable predicament. As the world third large carmakers, Japan's Toyota Company representative said to reporter that under such tariff levying, it is almost impossible for Japan to export its whole cars to China. TOYOTA hopes that two sides can solve the disputes as soon as possible. Japanese carmakers pin more hopes on its joint ventures in China because these companies will not be influenced by special tariff imposition. Toyota Plans to set up two new car platform bases in Tianjin next year. Mazda also will assemble travel sedans from 2002 to fix its position on China's relatively-cheaper car market. Nissan is also busy to set up a joint venture with China's Dongfeng car company.