China Has Record Auto Sales in 2010

VOA Breaking News (Voice of America)
January 10, 2011 at 11:40 am

An industry group says Chinese auto sales rose more than 32 percent in 2010 to 18.06 million units – a new record for the world's largest car market.

The China Association of Automobile Manufacturers said Monday that sales in December rose 17.9 percent from a year earlier to 1.67 million units.

The group predicted that sales and production would grow at a steadier pace in 2011, after the government raised the sales tax for small cars to 10 percent and Beijing slashed the number of new registrations allowed in the capital this year.

China overtook the United States in 2009 to become the world's largest car market. It is a key market for foreign manufacturers such as GM, Ford and Volkswagen, which all posted record sales in the country last year.