China's auto imports and exports suffered greatly from the international financial crisis in 2009, said Zhu Yiping, assistant secretary-general of the China Association of Automobile Manufacturers (CAAM).
However, the situation for China's auto trade improved in the second half of 2009 thanks to the rapid growth of domestic demand and recovered world economies, according to Zhu.
Further, auto imports and exports began growing by the end of 2009. Statistics released by CAAM show that China's total auto imports and exports reached US$69.919 billion in 2009, down US$11.239 billion or 14 per cent since 2008.
Of this, auto imports came to US$33.107 billion, up 5 per cent. Auto exports arrived at US$36.812 billion, down 26 per cent.
