The Chinese car market, the world's second-largest, had its worst year in a decade in 2008, with annual passenger car sales rising only 7.3 per cent, according to preliminary figures released yesterday by the China Association of Automobile Manufacturers (CAAM).
More dismal news from the Chinese car market is expected to spur Beijing to announce measures to lift demand, such as further tax cuts and support for energy-efficient vehicles.
Official media reported last week that Beijing was targeting 10 per cent growth in the Chinese car market in 2009 and would imminently announce measures to stimulate sales.
After several years of double digit growth, Chinese car sales slowed dramatically in the middle of 2008.
Sales fell for four months out of the past five, as consumer confidence suffered from the global economic crisis.
Analysts say 2009 could be even worse, although Chinese car sales – which are forecast to rise in low single digits – will still remain a relatively bright spot for the world car industry.
They also think the government will find it hard to meet its target of 10 per cent growth. Positive growth in 2009 will depend on government measures to support the market. State media has said Beijing is considering reducing or abolishing taxes on car purchases and providing incentives for green car development.
Overall vehicle sales, including cars, trucks and commercial vehicles, were forecast to rise by 5 per cent this year, CAAM said.
Total vehicle sales rose 6.7 per cent last year to 9.38m, the group said yesterday, compared with an increase of 22 per cent a year earlier.
CSM, the vehicle consultancy, expects 6 per cent growth this year in the China auto market, depending on the size and nature of the government stimulus package.
Beijing has been trying to talk the Chinese car market up since October, hoping that its Rmb4,000bn ($585bn) economic stimulus package would restore consumer confidence.
參考譯文：
根據(jù)中國汽車工業(yè)協(xié)會(huì)(CAAM)昨日公布的初步數(shù)據(jù)，全球第二大的中國汽車市場2008年經(jīng)歷了十年來最糟糕的一年，全年轎車銷量僅上升7.3%。
預(yù)計(jì)更多來自中國汽車市場的不利消息將促使中國政府出臺(tái)新措施，以增加需求。新出臺(tái)措施可能包括進(jìn)一步減稅以及鼓勵(lì)使用節(jié)能車。
中國官方媒體上周報(bào)道，中國政府將2009年汽車市場的增長目標(biāo)定為10%，并即將宣布一些措施來刺激銷售。
在經(jīng)歷數(shù)年兩位數(shù)的增長率后，中國汽車銷售在2008年中期迅速下滑。
由于消費(fèi)者信心受全球經(jīng)濟(jì)危機(jī)影響，過去5個(gè)月里，汽車銷售有4個(gè)月都在下降。
分析師們表示，盡管相對全球汽車行業(yè)來講，中國汽車銷售額仍會(huì)是個(gè)亮點(diǎn)，但2009年對中國汽車業(yè)自身來說可能會(huì)更糟。市場預(yù)測2009年中國汽車銷售額的增長率在10%以下。
他們同時(shí)認(rèn)為，政府將發(fā)現(xiàn)很難實(shí)現(xiàn)10%的增長目標(biāo)。2009年能否實(shí)現(xiàn)更大幅增長，將取決于政府支持市場的措施。中國國家電視臺(tái)稱，中國政府正考慮削減或取消車輛購置稅，并提供發(fā)展環(huán)保汽車的激勵(lì)措施。
中國汽車工業(yè)協(xié)會(huì)表示，今年總體汽車銷售(包括轎車、卡車及商用車)預(yù)測增長率為5%。
該組織昨日稱，去年總體汽車銷售上升6.7%，至938萬輛。前年的增長率則為22%。
汽車咨詢公司CSM預(yù)計(jì)今年中國汽車市場增長率為6%，這取決于政府刺激方案的規(guī)模和性質(zhì)。
自去年10月以來，中國政府一直試圖通過宣傳攻勢刺激汽車市場，希望4萬億人民幣(合5850億美元)經(jīng)濟(jì)刺激方案能恢復(fù)消費(fèi)者信心。
（轉(zhuǎn)載）
