China Plans Changes to Motorcycle Business
The Chinese government estimates 815 motorcycle exporters shipped approximately seven million motorcycles worth more than $2.4 billion in 2005. This month, in an effort to stem the tide of low-quality and low-priced vehicles, government institutions, including the Ministry of Commerce and the General Administration of Customs, said they plan to launch a new management plan on March 1 to restrict the export of motorcycles.
In order to conduct exports under the newly proposed plan, motorcycle makers will have to pass certain quality standards, must have achieved a minimum export value of $500,000 in 2004, or must have sold over 30,000 motorcycles in China’s domestic market during that same year.
Trading companies – which grew in number from 257 in 1999 to 815 last year – will be allowed to export only when they have been authorized by qualified manufacturers.
Read more in the January 23 issue of Powersports Business magazine.
