Chinese car makers throttle back export plans

Ed Richardson
WHILE SOUTH Africa is being targeted by an increasing number of Chinese vehicle manufacturers, the Chinese are putting the brakes on their exports to major markets such as Western Europe and North America, according to research undertaken for just-auto. The study found that Chinese car makers’ attentions were instead currently focused on the need to supply a growing domestic market. This will give manufacturers based in South Africa and elsewhere time to ensure that they can compete effectively when the Chinese do become major exporters in the next decade. Larger Chinese car makers are expected to concentrate their efforts on developing high-quality models for export rather than pushing current models – which would be perceived as low quality in Western markets.