by Christoph Steitz, Edward Taylor, Andreas Cremer in FRANKFURT and Samuel Shen in SHANGHAI
Three German car parts suppliers have been told by China they can no longer manage their Chinese units independently but need to form partnerships with local peers, the chief executive of auto parts maker ElringKlinger told a German paper.
Volvo Chairman Li Shufu says China should stop trying to hinder competition in the world’s largest automaker.
“It’s best if it’s completely open, like in the U.S. and Europe; whoever wants to produce cars can do it,” Li, who’s also chairman of carmaker Geely Automobile Holdings Ltd., said in an interview. “This is fair to us, it’s fair to everyone. It would completely allow the role of the market and perhaps we will develop better.”
Daimler is recalling about 50,000 of its Smart microcars in China, at the request of the country’s General Administration of Quality Supervision, Inspection and Quarantine.
The European Union Chamber of Commerce in China on Wednesday expressed concern over a recent series of antitrust investigations, saying China was using strong-arm tactics and appeared to be unfairly targeting foreign firms.
By Bill Savadove
China stepped up pressure on foreign carmakers in the world’s biggest auto market Wednesday, pledging to punish German luxury brand Audi and Chrysler of the United States for “monopoly behaviour”.
