Li Dahai: The Chinese market is increasingly important for US car companies

The China International Automobile Industry Cooperation Forum was held in Ningbo recently. David Turchetti, vice president of the American Chamber of Commerce in Shanghai, admitted that the Chinese market is increasingly important for American auto companies.

The China Automotive Industry International Cooperation Forum was jointly sponsored by the Investment Promotion Bureau of the Ministry of Commerce of the People's Republic of China, the Ningbo Municipal People's Government, and the American Chamber of Commerce in Shanghai. Representatives from domestic and foreign automakers, government departments, and related associations attended the conference and jointly discussed China's automobile industry policy and the automotive industry. Future development trends, the sustainable development of the auto industry, how Chinese automakers successfully enter the foreign market, the cooperation model between Chinese suppliers and international auto manufacturers, and the development prospects of new energy vehicles are discussed.

In recent years, China’s auto market has been advancing at a high speed. In 2009, China has become the world’s largest automobile production and sales country. Automobile production and sales have completed 13.791 million and 13.64 million vehicles respectively. From January to July this year, China's auto production and sales both exceeded 10 million, which was 10.21 million and 10.26 million, respectively, which were 44% and 43% higher than the same period of last year. According to the prediction of China Association of Automobile Manufacturers, the production and sales of automobiles will exceed 16 million vehicles in 2010.

Today, major internationally renowned automobile brands from Europe, America and Japan have entered China. The Chinese market has become an increasingly important contributor to the world's auto makers' revenue.

Li Dahai, vice president of the American Chamber of Commerce in Shanghai, said that the Chinese market is increasingly important for American auto companies. In the first half of this year, the sales volume of GM in the Chinese market surpassed that of the US market for the first time. This is for the general public. It is an important milestone event.

"As far as the American Chamber of Commerce in Shanghai is concerned, the auto industry is increasingly important. More and more member companies are paying more and more attention to this industry. American companies want to understand the future of sustainable development of China's corporate industry and understand the adjustment of China's auto industry policy. The impact on the industry and the market," said Li Dahai, is the reason why the American Chamber of Commerce in Shanghai and the Bureau of Investment Promotion of the Ministry of Commerce co-sponsored the forum.

Li Dahai said that the enthusiasm of U.S. companies in this forum also exceeded expectations. "The Chamber of Commerce originally planned to organize only a 30-person delegation to participate in the forum. As a result, everyone signed up enthusiastically and came to a total of more than 70 people."

Li Dahai believes that in the future, new energy vehicles, China and the United States have great room for development. At the same time, he also stated that “Overall, U.S. investors are very optimistic about China’s market and investment environment. Our recent survey also shows this.”

“In the context of the global economic downturn, the Chinese market has become an increasingly important choice for U.S. companies, especially multinationals,” he said.