New cars to make global debut at Beijing auto expo
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Global automobile giants' attraction to China has been underscored by the fact 89 vehicles will make their global debut at Auto China 2010 in Beijing later this month, organizers said Thursday.
Wang Xia, who heads the Auto China 2010 Secretariat, said 990 vehicles, including the 89 making their world debut, 65 concept vehicles and 95 new-energy-driven cars from foreign and Chinese automakers, will be on display.
The Beijing auto expo, held every other year, will take place at the Beijing China International Exhibition Center from April 25 to May 2 this year.
"China has become the world's fastest growing and most important auto market against the backdrop of the global financial crisis," Wang said. "Multinational auto giants all eye China as a major source of growth."
That is why the number of exhibitors at this year's show hits record high in its ten years of history, he said.
More than 2,100 automotive manufacturers from 16 countries or regions have registered to participate in the show with an exhibition area of 200,000 square meters, according to the expo's organizing committee.
China overtook others to become the world's largest automobile manufacturer and consumer last year thanks to a stimulus package, which included sales tax cuts on vehicle purchases and subsidies for vehicles in rural areas.
China made 13.79 million cars in 2009 while sales hit 13.64 million vehicles in the domestic market, up by over 40 percent year on year, according to the China Association of Automobile Manufacturers.
