Ten leading plants accounted for around 80 percent of China's automobile production in 2003, according to statistics from the China Association of Automobile Manufacturers.

China produced 4.444 million automobiles in 2003. The top 10 manufacturers produced 3.548 million units, accounting for 79.84 percent of the total.

FAW Group Corporation, based in Changchun of northeast China's Jilin Province, claimed top spot with 858,7000 units in 2003. Shanghai Automotive Industry Corporation followed closely with an output of 796,900 units, while third place went to Dongfeng Motor Corporation, based in central China's Hubei Province, with an output of 470,300 units.

The other seven plants reported output in the range of 101,100 units to 406,800 units. They are , Beijing Automotive Industry Corporation, Harbin Hafei Motor Co., Ltd., Jinbei Automobile Co., Guangzhou Automobile Industry Group Co., Ltd., Changhe Aircraft Industry Co. and SAIC Chery Automobile Co., Ltd.

Among the 10 plants, Guangzhou Automobile Industry Group Co., Ltd., Beijing Automotive Industry Corporation and SAIC Chery Automobile Co., Ltd. experienced the biggest growth in both output and sales.

(Xinhua News Agency January 25, 2004)