Chinese auto companies eye Saudi market

Author: 
K.S. RAMKUMAR|ARAB NEWS
Publication Date: 
Mon, 2010-05-03 03:45

JAC Motors - Anhui Jianghuai Automobile Co. Ltd., which had a strong presence at the autocare Arabia, an international event for automotive aftermarket that ended in Jeddah over the weekend, displayed a wide range of its heavy-duty, medium and light trucks that drew a large number of visitors. "Chinese automobile vehicles are competitively priced and they are equally good and that's why they are welcomed here and all over the world," he said.
Aside from JAC, there were other manufacturers and dealers of Chinese and other Far East countries' products including engines, gearboxes, and spare parts and components etc. "We have found the Saudi market very receptive, especially for the Chinese trucks and buses, and automobile spare parts, Al-Jedaie said.
"As Chinese companies become larger, the price and functional features of their products will resonate with the 5.8 billion consumers in other emerging markets. The ultimate prize, the 1 billion consumers in the most developed economies of the word, will be the most difficult to obtain, but there's little question that Chinese companies will eventually provide compelling value propositions to this market as well. This story is now playing out in autos," Abdullah Alghamdi, a member of the Jeddah Chamber of Commerce and Industry, said.
China, Taiwan and Thailand together reported on-the-spot deals worth more than SR120 million at the expo. "We are in the process of signing contracts for two years with some of the automobile spare parts manufacturers from the Far East and Europe, said Salah A. Babatin, CEO of 30-year-old Jeddah-based Babatin Auto Parts Est. that has opened branches in Makkah, Riyadh and Dammam.
The exhibition, which had major local and overseas participation, drew more than 8,500 visitors, mostly businessmen, traders and professionals.

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