BEIJING (AP) — China’s growth in auto sales decelerated
further in March and local brands lost market share in the face of
intense foreign competition, an industry group reported Friday.
Sales
rose 7.9 percent to 1.7 million vehicles, according to the China
Association of Automobile Manufacturers. That was down from February’s
11.3 percent growth.
Sales of Chinese domestic brands contracted
by 2.3 percent to 672,000 vehicles, the association said. Their market
share shrank by 4.1 percentage points from a year earlier to 39.3
percent.
China’s explosive auto sales growth has cooled steadily
since peaking above 40 percent in 2009 as rapid economic expansion
slows.
The economy grew by 7.7 percent last year, tying 2012 for
the lowest rate since 1999. The government’s official growth target this
year is 7.5 percent and, in a sign officials already worry they might
fail to meet that, Beijing launched a mini-stimulus last month with
higher spending on construction of railways and other public works.
General
Motors, Toyota, Volkswagen and other global auto brands are looking to
China, the biggest auto market, to drive sales and are spending heavily
to suit local tastes.
The global majors are reporting steady sales gains, but part of that comes at the expense of smaller
Chinese brands.
Total vehicle sales, including trucks and buses, rose 6.6 percent to 2.2 million, the association said.

General
Motors Co. said sales of GM-brand vehicles by the company and its
Chinese partners rose 19.9 percent to monthly record of 257,770. Ford
Motor Co. said sales rose 28 percent to 103,815 vehicles, crossing the
100,000 mark for the first time.
Japan’s Toyota Motor Co. said
sales more than doubled from a year earlier, rising 119 percent to
90,400 vehicles. Rival Nissan Motor Co. said sales rose 26 percent to
115,900 vehicles.
South Korea’s Kia Motor Co. reported a 14.2 percent rise in sales to 55,208 vehicles.
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China Association of Automobile Manufacturers (in Chinese): www.caam.org.cn
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