The production and sales of automobiles in China saw a rapid growth in April, the latest data from the China Association of Automobile Manufacturers (CAAM) showed on Saturday.
In April, the production of automobiles in China reached 2.406 million units in total, rising 12.8 percent in year-on-year terms. Their sales increased 9.3 percent to 2.359 million units.
Specifically, new energy vehicle (NEV) production hit 870,000 units and their sales reached 850,000 units, up by 35.9 percent and 33.5 percent respectively year on year.
This growth propelled the market share of NEVs to a notable 36 percent in April.
In addition, the sales of Chinese-brand passenger vehicles reached 1.272 million units, taking up 63.5 percent of the total sales volume. Their market share increased by 8.4 percentage points compared with the same period in 2023.
"In the first four months of 2024, the market share of domestic-brand passenger vehicles surpassed 60 percent. The figure was 63.5 percent in April, continuing the growth momentum of recent years. Currently, China's NEV industry has realized the shift from focusing on quantity to quality, with its development speed beyond previous expectations," said Chen Shihua, deputy secretary general of the CAAM.
China's automobile output, sales grow rapidly in April
China's automobile output, sales grow rapidly in April
Continuous heavy rain has battered several provinces in southern China since Sunday, prompting local authorities to mobilize emergency resources and take measures to protect residents and reduce flood risks.
In Anhui Province in east China, Ma'anshan, Mingguang and Chuzhou have been hit by widespread downpours since Sunday, leaving low-lying urban areas waterlogged and pushing up reservoir levels. Local authorities swiftly activated emergency response plans to drain floodwaters.
On Monday morning, Ma'anshan opened several sluice gates to increase flood storage and drainage capacity, while the Dongfeng Lake drainage station in Mingguang ran all five of its pumping units at full capacity.
Similar efforts are underway in Jiangsu Province in east China. In Zhangdian Town, Taizhou City, farmers are urgently draining fields and dredging ditches to protect vegetable production bases. Meanwhile, in Huagang Town, main drainage gates for high-standard farmland have been opened, and additional temporary drainage outlets have been activated to prevent crop damage.
In southwest China's Guizhou Province, torrential rain has flooded Liping and Libo counties, with more than 3,000 people affected in Liping alone. Thirty-six rescue teams comprising 677 personnel, including firefighters and militia members, have been working around the clock to clear mud and debris. So far, 2,380 residents have been safely evacuated, while power and communication infrastructure are under emergency repair.
The National Meteorological Center has forecast heavy rain to rainstorms across southwest China and the Jianghuai region through Wednesday, with extremely heavy rainfall expected in some areas.
Meteorological authorities warned that parts of the Guangxi Zhuang Autonomous Region in south China, Guizhou Province in southwest China and Hunan Province in central China face high risks of flash floods and geological disasters. The public is advised to stay updated on local weather conditions and exercise caution when traveling.
Heavy rain batters southern China, triggering emergency responses
