Shanghai may see a boom in automotive exports and trading after establishing itself as one of eight national automobile and spare parts export bases.

The National Automobile and Spare Parts Export Base (Shanghai) was officially opened yesterday at the Shanghai International Automobile City in Anting, Jiading District in west Shanghai.

The seven other bases will be located in Tianjin, Changchun, Chongqing, Wuhan, Xiamen, Wuhu and Taizhou.

"With the backing of the Shanghai AutoCity, the e xport bases will strengthen car makers and improve their export capabilities, not only in the Yangtze River Delta but throughout the country," said Li Xue, head of Anting Town. "The ultimate goal is to create a car production center with an internationally recognized R&D facility for China's branded cars and new energy vehicles and an international spare parts market."

The export base will concentrate on four sectors initially, including the construction of a manufacturing area and R&D facilities such as a wind tunnel laboratory and an authentication center.

Yan Jianlai, director of the auto parts department of the Society of Automotive Engineers of China, said the establishment of the export bases underlines China's efforts to boost its car exports.

"It is a move forward in encouraging the export of high value-added products for China," Yan said.

"By given preference to exporting companies, these bases will help expand China's car exports," he added.