Posted on 08/18/2007 6:41:38 AM PDT by JACKRUSSELL
(Beijing) - It was the frugal minicar that lured the Liu family to the showroom, but it was the full-size sedan that hooked them.
Like countless other first-time auto buyers in China, the Lius were moving up in the world, and getting four wheels with plenty of steel was a key part of that process.
"A car! This means so much to us," said Liu Yang, while her husband, Liu Yue, fiddled with the dashboard of the Chery Eastar sedan that they were about to buy in a showroom in suburban north Beijing.
The biggest car-buying boom in world history is under way in China as vast numbers of people join the middle class, abandon their bicycles for autos and sport utility vehicles - and, in the process, add to China's already fast-growing emissions of greenhouse gases.
Only a decade ago, cars owned by individuals were rare, and bicycles were the main mode of transport. Now, streets are clogged bumper-to-bumper, and total car ownership is expected to surpass the U.S. level by 2025.
Local governments are wrestling with transportation and land-use decisions that will set China's course for decades. Should China look and act like the car-focused sprawl of Los Angeles, they ask, or the public transit-oriented clusters of European cities?
"It's a vicious circle - more autos, more roads," said Li Junhao, deputy chief of the municipal urban planning department in Shanghai, which has fought the automobile trend more than any other Chinese city by restricting access to license plates and taxing the use of cars in its downtown.
"There's not enough space for the cars or land to build the highways. The dream of Chinese here is much similar to your American Dream, no?" Li said. "It's just the same as anywhere else - you want a car......
(Excerpt) Read more at sfgate.com ...
A driver with no license plates drives along a congested road in Beijing on a day when autos with license plates that end with an even number were not supposed to be on the streets. (Reuters photo by David Gray)
Fewer people are riding bikes as the fast-growing middle class takes to the roads in their own cars. (Reuters photo by David Gray)
Hey, this is great. They will be lining up to buy American cars becuase of the trade agreements we have with them.
My, look at the pollution in both pictures. Ooops, that surely must be fog!
Hmmm, that's odd...
I'm guessing they'll be after European "status" cars like Mercs, Beemers and others.
Actually, in China, one of the most prestigious nameplates is Buick.
Hmmm, that's odd...
Not really. Remember: they're a totalitarian government. They can pass laws or issue edicts like that.
Actually I was being sarcastic. I don’t think American car makers are going to open up the market in China. That wouldn’t benefit China and they would probably put the clamps on if they started to make any inroads.
I’d like to see personal firearms become popular in China.
Su shrugged and pointed through his office window at a Chevrolet showroom below that was swarming with shoppers.
“But what about the customers?” he asked. “You can’t ignore them.”
I wonder what models they are selling and if they are California emissions compliant. Somehow I doubt it.
This is why China will not be a threat to America for a long time if ever.
Affluence breeds luxury which breeds the longing for freedom.
Buick is becomming more prestigious here. In fact, I recently read that thet tied Lexus in quality in one of the JD Powers studies.
That’s funny. He was kidding. read his post again.
China has a joint venture with GM to make cars. Been in place for several years.
What is interesting is that they are manufactured in the old assembly line type production ...no robotics. Since labor costs only $4/hour ... they spend about $100./car...no union and high fixed costs to incur.
I think GM is building an engine plant there too. IIRC GM may have given the Chicoms valuable technology for the Buicks produced in China.
Chevy is a beloved global brand. In a lot of the world people drive them to ‘be like Americans’. Chevy is definately one of the iconic symbols of America.
As economies around the world stabilize, the demand for transportation will skyrocket.
Doh! It’s early. Need more coffee...... ;o)
Standard Chinese-U.S. exchange. The Chinese always invite U.S. companies in to contribute technologies and processes, and dispense with them when they are no longer needed. Another practice is agreeing to produce widgets on 2 8hr shifts, and then adding another 3rd shift on their own, running the goods out the back door. Quality control is null on this run and they don't have to fuss with any pesky agreements.
They’ll certainly be lining up for the same oil supplies we want.
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