Chinese Auto Maker to Assemble, Sell Cars in Malaysia

Topics:  Geely

Claudia Blume
Voice of America
April 3, 2006

A Chinese automaker will assemble cars in Malaysia, while the restructuring of Malaysia's aviation sector is ending the monopoly of the nation's flag carrier.

China's Geely Automobile says it will assemble cars in Malaysia, in partnership with Malaysia's Information Gateway Corporation.  The production of two Geely-branded auto types, built with Chinese-made components, will start in July.

Geely will export 80 percent of the cars, while the rest will be sold in Malaysia.

Grace Mak, an analyst with Merrill Lynch in Hong Kong, says the company is mainly targeting Southeast Asian countries.  The region is a new export market for Chinese automakers, who are increasingly looking to sell their cars abroad.

"Some are exporting to Russia now, to the Middle East, to South Africa - so there are different markets.  But to Chinese companies, I think the Asian countries are still quite new to them as an export region," said Mak.

Excerpted from a Malaysian business report, non automotive content removed.