Doing Business in China

China market research Mercedes-Benz's 2009 sales soar 77% in China
      
Mercedes-Benz marked 2009 as their "best year ever" in China with sales in the
mainland soaring 77 percent to 68,500 vehicles. The locally produced C-Class cars
became the best-selling model, totalling 16,000 units in 2009, up 156.3 percent on
2008. Sales of Mercedes-Benz passenger vehicles in China set a new monthly record
of 9,350 units in December.
      
Despite the far-reaching international economic crisis, Mercedes-Benz sold nearly
15,000 S-Class cars in China last year, making the country the largest market for the
luxury flagship model, while the sales of SUV series added up to 15,800 units, said
the company.

      
The company also said 2009 was the best year for Mercedes-Benz since it came into
the Chinese market more than 20 years ago. German automaker Volkswagen AG
said its 2009 sales in China rose 36.7 percent to 1.4 million vehicles.

China’s vehicle sales jump 46 percent

China supplanted the United States as the world’s largest auto market after its 2009
vehicle sales jumped 46 percent, ending more than a century of American dominance
that started with the Model T Ford.
      
The nation’s sales of passenger cars, buses and trucks rose to 13.6 million, the
fastest pace in at least 10 years, according to the China Association of Automobile
Manufacturers yesterday. December sales of passenger cars, trucks and buses rose
92 percent to 1.4 million. For the whole of 2009, passenger-car sales rose 53 percent
to 10.3 million. China’s vehicle ownership climbed to 51 million by the end of 2008
from 1 million in 1977.

Chinese government to spend 300 billion yuan on green cars
      
The government is planning to invest 300 billion yuan over the next five years to
develop hybrid and electric car technology. The projects there will be 3 million hybrid
and 1.5 million pure electric cars on the roads in 2015. The petrochemical and
nonferrous metals industries will also receive significant investment to improve
energy efficiency.
China market research Mercedes-Benz's 2009 sales soar 77% in China