Eight Chinese carmakers enter '08 world's top 30

Shanghai, August 4 (Gasgoo.com) A global auto industry association has recently released its 2008 rankings of the world's own-brand auto makers by output, and there are eight Chinese carmakers among the world's top 30 largest producers, FAW Group ranked 20th as the biggest Chinese carmaker with output of 638,000 vehicles, Chinanews.com reported today.

The International Organization of Motor Vehicle Manufacturers, which was founded in Paris in 1919 as the "Organisation Internationale des Constructeurs d'Automobiles" (OICA), said Chinese-brand auto sales grew by 6.7% in 2008, less affected by the global financial crisis.

Although the output of many carmakers had declined last year, the number of Chinese companies in the world's top 30 biggest automakers increased from seven to eight -- they are FAW Group, Changan Auto, Dongfeng Motor, Beijing Auto, Chery Auto, SAIC Motor, Brilliance Auto and Hafei Auto, according to the OICA.

Industry analysts have predicted that more Chinese automakers will scale higher in the world's auto output rankings as the Chinese government has been urging the country's carmakers to focus on the development of own-brand vehicles. This strategy is included in the auto industry boost plans it issued earlier this year.

With the build-up of their auto R&D and manufacturing capabilities, Chinese automakers have started to combine their independently developed brands with new-energy vehicle models. More and more new-energy Chinese auto brands will be developed, and the status of Chinese-brand cars will be enhanced in the world.