中國擬放寬汽車市場規則 促進競爭

Beijing plans to shake up the domestic car market by relaxing restrictions on dealers so they can sell vehicles from multiple makers.

中國當局計劃放寬對經銷商的限制，以提振國內汽車市場，允許經銷商同時銷售多個廠商的汽車。

China’s Ministry of Commerce, which oversees car sales, has published for public comment rules that would bar manufacturers from forcing unilateral sales quotas on dealers or requiring them to take on unpopular models or inventory. Dealers would also be permitted to stock cars from more than one manufacturer and sell excess stock to each other.

汽車銷售的主管部門中國商務部對新頒佈的管理辦法公開徵求意見，辦法將禁止汽車製造商單方面向經銷商施加銷售配額，或迫使它們接受不受歡迎的車輛型號庫存。經銷商們還獲准可從多個製造商進貨，並可互相轉售多餘的庫存。

Global carmakers are already facing a challenge in the world’s largest market as China’s economic slowdown and vehicle licensing restrictions in many big cities start to eat into years of reliable profits.

隨着中國經濟放緩，全球汽車製造商在世界最大市場都面臨挑戰，中國許多大城市實行的機動車牌照限制也開始侵蝕多年來穩定的利潤。

Yu Jianliang, a China-based motor industry analyst, said: “This is really good news for car dealers and will reduce their business risk.

中國汽車行業分析師餘建良表示：“這對汽車經銷商來說的確是好消息，會降低他們的經營風險。”

“Car dealers in China have less say and more restrictions than their foreign peers. But now the industry is in a downturn and dealers are complaining a lot about pressure on their business. The draft policy could ease that.”

“相比外國同行，中國的汽車經銷商話語權更少，受到的限制更多。但現在這一行業正處低迷，經銷商對他們的業務所受的壓力怨聲載道。這一辦法草案有望緩解局面。”

The draft rules would also benefit smaller manufacturers, enabling them to sell their cars through distributors of more popular brands without having to build up a sales network independently, analysts said.

分析師指出，該辦法草案也有利於較小規模的製造商，令他們能通過人氣更高的品牌的分銷商銷售自己的汽車，而無需單獨建立一個分銷網絡。

“In the short term it will boost dealer confidence and in the long term, [I expect] it will bring more models to the market,” said Mr Yu.

餘建良說：“這在短期內可以提振經銷商的信心，長期而言（我預計）將爲市場帶來更多車型。”

The measures would be in line with efforts over the past few years to increase competition in the market, with Beijing penalising some foreign vehicle and parts makers for what it said was anti-competitive behaviour.

新的措施將與近年旨在促進汽車市場競爭的努力相符，北京方面以其所稱的反競爭行爲爲由，懲處了一些外國汽車和零部件製造商。

Multinational groups are already under pressure from steps by authorities to legalise so-called parallel imports of cars that manufacturers originally intended to sell in other markets, but which make their way into China at a substantial discount.

跨國集團本已受到壓力，因爲當局正逐步合法化“平行進口（水貨）”汽車，讓製造商原計劃賣到其他市場的汽車以大幅折扣進入了中國市場。

Bill Russo, a Shanghai-based motor industry consultant, said the dealer rules, if adopted, would be a “major move that is consistent with the themes of recent years including the recent anti-monopoly campaign and permitting parallel imports”.

常駐上海的汽車行業顧問比爾·魯索(Bill Russo)表示，針對經銷商的規則在正式實施後，將是一個“與近年的主題（包括近年的反壟斷行動和允許水貨）相符的重大舉措”。

“They are attempting to give more leverage to dealers, as well as create price competition,” he added. “Pricing and margins have been high in China relative to other markets, and this will serve to change that.”

“除了形成價格競爭，他們正試圖給予經銷商更大影響力，”他補充道：“相對於其他市場，中國市場的定價和利潤率都比較高，這將有助於改變這一狀況。