3.China mulls lifting auto purchase limits

Officials in China's capital maintained radio silence last week after news leaked that the country's chief economic planner was lobbying for the removal of restrictions on new car purchases in some cities. The National Development and Reform Commission has asked the State Council, China's cabinet, to ease limits on car purchases such as those introduced in Beijing this January, the National Business Daily reported, citing anonymous sources. Both the NDRC and the Beijing traffic authority have refused to comment on the matter.

Beijing will only allow 240,000 new passenger cars to be registered this year through a license plate lottery system – less than one-third of 750,000 new cars registered in 2010. The policy, meant to alleviate Beijing's chronic traffic jams, has caused concerns among officials at the NDRC, who worry about its impact on the country's auto industry.