Gasgoo.com (Shanghai February 8) - Subaru's parent company Fuji Heavy Industries has commented that it is not entirely optimistic about the Chinese automobile industry and, as such, may abandon plans to build vehicles in the country, auto.sina.com.cn reported today. FHI President and COO Yasuyuki Yoshinaga made the comments at a recent press conference, adding that not enough preparation was made to successfully manufacture Subaru vehicles in China. He said that FHI continues to maintain a cautious outlook on the Chinese market.
FHI's proposed plan to produce Subarus in China has been a hot topic for years now, with reports speculating a possible partnership with domestic manufacturer Chery. In order to further increase awareness, the company supplied vehicles for the hit 2009 film If You Are the One.
However, due to difficulties in complying with government policy, the National Development and Reform Commission denied the proposal. According to the Policy on Development of Automotive Industry, an automobile manufacturer is allowed a maximum of two Chinese joint ventures. Although FHI does not currently have any JVs in the country, Toyota, which owns a 16.5 percent share in the company, already has partnerships with both FAW and GAC.
