Year of Horsepower: Car industry shifts gears

Exports decline after years of growth

Pickups in a port is pictured. [Photo/cnautonews.com]

Despite a high increase in China's automobile sales in 2013, the country's vehicle exports started to decline due to a weak global economy, reversing the trend of rapid growth seen in recent years.

Customs statistics show that in 2013, total auto exports dropped 7.5 percent to 977,300 units from 2012, when the figure surpassed 1 million for the first time.

It was also the first decline in recent years, after China's auto exports registered a double-digit growth in 2006, 50 percent in 2011 and 30 percent in 2012.

By segment, passenger vehicle exports declined 9.8 percent year on year to 596,300 units, while commercial vehicle exports dipped 3.5 percent to 381,000 units. Cars and trucks were two sectors reported sharp export decrease and drag the two segments.

However, statistics also show that in the first 11 months, the export revenue increased 5.2 percent from a year earlier to $71.3 billion, despite the volume decline.

China's top vehicle export destinations continue to be developing countries, with Algeria, Russia, Chile, Iran, Peru, Colombia, Egypt, Iraq, Uruguay and Ukraine in the top 10. Combined exports to these countries accounted for 58.1 percent of the total number.