Nanjing to host car show in October

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 ◆ Nanjing to host car show in October

Beijing's enviable success in hosting international carshows has prompted other Chinese cities, such as Nanjing of East China's Jiangsu Province, to jump on the lucrative train of capitalizing on the growing appetite of the world's biggest population for cars.

Eager to draw more international attention, and tempted by the economic returns their internationalized peers from Beijing and Shanghai have pocketed, a handful of other major cities are working on their own blueprints for similar moves.

Nanjing, the culture-rich city, has hammered out an ambitious plan to host an international auto show in October designed to be the southern counterpart of the increasingly influential Beijing International Auto Show.

Last month's Seventh Beijing International Auto Show drew a record 400,000 visitors and brought organizers nearly 200 million yuan (US$24 million) in total revenue, a lucrative performance in a fledgling industry.

"As China still lacks auto shows that are truly international events, we are trying to promote the internationalization of China's auto shows by echoing Beijing from the south," said Chen Gang, deputy secretary general of Nanjing's municipal government.

Organized by the city's government, Ministry of Science and Technology and the China Association of Auto Manufacturers, the seven-day China International Auto Festival (Nanjing) highlights visitor interaction by providing hands-on driving, high-profile seminars and auctions, besides the regular showcasing of new brands.