Sunday Globe Special: Globe Loves Chinese Cars

Wanna go for a spin?

"China may buy only domestic cars for official use; Proposal would help its struggling auto industry" by Keith B. Richburg  |  The Washington Post, March 25, 2012

BEIJING - On one level, the new rules would seem like a rare example of China’s authoritarian Communist leaders bowing to public opinion.

Popular microblogging sites, akin to Twitter, have been filled with sharp criticism of the perks enjoyed by public servants, such as chauffeur-driven cars while most residents cram onto packed subways or slog through traffic jams on overcrowded buses. 

I don't see how China is much different from AmeriKa.

The criticism reached a peak during this month’s annual session of China’s national legislature, which saw parts of Beijing literally choked with official cars - almost all of them high-end foreign brands....

Economists and others say the response is worrisome, since it sends a strong signal that the central government in Beijing is ready to do whatever it takes - even skirting the spirit of global open-trade rules - to help prop up a Chinese industry that needs protecting.

“The whole automotive industry in China is very much supported by the government,’’ said Klaus Paur, a Shanghai-based analyst on the Chinese auto market for the French research firm Ipsos....  

Did they get a bailout like GM?

As China’s increasingly affluent consumers have become more brand-savvy, they have tended to perceive foreign cars as higher-quality, longer-lasting, and with better safety standards. In addition, there is the status element: driving a foreign car - even one made in China - conveys more of an image of wealth, power, or sometimes simply good taste. 

Same in AmeriKa.

Domestic carmakers also have been hurt as GM, Ford, and other foreign manufacturers have increasingly moved to less-expensive, lower-end brands introduced primarily for the Chinese market, further crowding out the space once dominated by local producers.

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I heard the driving test is a real bitch:

"These are real questions from the written test to obtain an ordinary driver’s license in China, and they offer a bizarre, rather frightening window into the world’s most populous and car-craving country....

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Think I'll just stay off the Boston Globe Road.