China's sedan exports more than doubled year-on-year to 188,600 units in 2007, according to figures from the General Administration of Customs.

The country's auto imports and exports reached US$66.9 billion last year, with imports up 24.45 percent and exports up 45.31 percent.

Chery, the flag-bearer of Chinese indigenous brands, saw a 132 percent surge of export in 2007, which came at 119,800 units. The carmaker, which has accelerated its expansion overseas in recent years, expected to export 180,000 this year.

Changan Automotive Group, China's fourth largest automaker, sold more than 40,000 cars overseas last year, against 21,700 in 2006.

The country's auto output grew 22.9 percent to 9.04 million units last year, according to figures with the National Development and Reform Commission (NDRC), the country's top economic planner.

The NDRC deputy economic performance department director Zhu Hongren said, since quantity was not a problem anymore, auto producers should increase their focus on quality.

Compared with their international counterparts, China's auto makers are still small in terms of production scale and behind in technology. In addition, the country's auto boom has created growing problems, such as increasing traffic jams and pollution.

China imported 314,200 vehicles in 2007, an increase of 41.4 percent, with imports of sedans up 25.13 percent, cross-country vehicles up 64.91 percent and minibuses down 5.29 percent.

(Xinhua News Agency February 7, 2008)