As discussed in the recent CCTV-International Dialogue program, 2009 was a year of tremendous historical milestones for the China auto industry. Triggered by the global financial crisis, the global automotive industry witnessed a year of unprecedented restructuring, as many industry icons struggled for their survival. After peaking in 2007 at 70 million units, the global automotive markets have experienced a contraction of nearly 10 million units over the past 2 years.