Guangdong Governor Huang Huahua plans to build Guangzhou into
the biggest automobile production base in the country.
By 2010, Guangzhou will be able to produce its own brand-name
cars and have its own research and development centers, said the
governor.
"To achieve this goal, Guangzhou should take even bolder steps
to attract more foreign financial support and expand cooperation to
further boost industrial development in the sector in the following
years."
Huang made the comment while visiting Guangzhou's Huadu District
and the suburban city of Zengcheng, where many automobile and
automobile parts production facilities are located. Huang was
accompanied by Guangzhou Mayor Zhang Guangning and other
officials.
Many industrial insiders have echoed Huang's view, saying the
southern metropolis has the requisite qualities to become China's
new automobile powerhouse.
Yi Ming, deputy director of Guangzhou Economic Commission, said
cars have become a pillar industry in Guangzhou, attracting three
major Japanese carmakers Toyota, Honda and Nissan. Automobile
companies from Europe and America are also in talks to set up shop
in the city.
Guangzhou Honda Automobile Co Ltd is a 50:50 joint venture
between Guangzhou Automobile Group and Honda. Starting production
in March 1999, it has produced over 1 million cars to date. Last
year, it produced 350,000 cars.
Guangzhou Toyota Automobile Co Ltd, another joint venture, has
manufactured more than 100,000 Camry sedans in the 10 months it has
been in operation.
Guangzhou has more than 60 overseas companies and joint ventures
producing cars, parts and related products.
Its automobile industrial output crossed 100 billion yuan last
year, accounting for more than one-fifth of the city's total, Yi
said.
Going by its ambitious development plan, Guangzhou will produce
over 800,000 cars this year with an industrial output value of more
than 110 billion yuan.
The city plans to manufacture more than 1 million cars next year
and 1.3 million cars in 2010.
(China Daily April 6, 2007)