UNITED States car giant General Motors, which is expected to report a record-breaking loss of US$23 billion this week, yesterday opened five agency sales offices in southern China as part of an aggressive drive in the region.
Sofrasia, General Motors' sole distributor in southern China, opened three sales and services centres in Guangzhou, one in Chengdu and one in Kunming.
Offices will shortly be set up in Hainan and Foshan.
Sofrasia is looking for a 20 per cent growth in car imports to China over the next five years.
General Motors Asia managing director Jerry Wang reckons the car industry - which is languishing in the domestic market - will this year receive a leg-up in China from both the US and Chinese governments.
He said America's commitment to reduce, or at any rate stabilise, its burgeoning trade deficit with China would stimulate US imports to the mainland.
At the same time, the Chinese authorities are expected to relax the trade restrictions that have hampered car sales in the past as part of its drive to re-enter the General Agreement on Tariffs and Trade.
