AUTOMOBILE makers were locked in fierce competition at the 16th China (Changchun) International Auto Expo amid growing downward pressure in the industry.

Many offered price cuts to lure pickier Chinese consumers and emphasized their new energy vehicles (NEVs), a niche market whose sales have remained robust despite the struggles of traditional fossil fuel-driven vehicles.

More than 1,300 cars from domestic and foreign brands were exhibited in an area of around 200,000 square meters at the Changchun Expo, which closed Sunday.

An Liguo, a sales manager from Changan Automobile, a major domestic brand, said that many consumers in China hunt for bargains and value both product quality and cost as there are many brands to choose from.

Some sales managers also said that although consumers are picky, price discounts are still a very important factor in affecting the decisions of Chinese consumers.

“All automakers, no matter world-class brands or domestic brands, have to consider their pricing strategies more seriously today to avoid being put at a disadvantage. At the same time, quality and service are also absolutely necessary,” said Xue Ruixiang, a sales manager with Changan Automobile.

At the expo, local auto brands and joint venture brands such as FAW, Volkswagen and BMW all offered big discounts to consumers. Even luxury brands such as Lexus and Audi have marked down their prices and have offered big gift bags.

Statistics from the China Association of Automobile Manufacturers showed that China’s car sales remained sluggish in the first half of this year after a weak performance in 2018, registering a 12.4 percent drop year on year, with the year-on-year drop in first-half sales narrowed compared with the first five months.

(Xinhua)