China's passenger car sales soar in July as supply chain improves

BEIJING -- China's passenger vehicle market recorded robust growth in July with rising sales and production, industrial data showed on Tuesday.

Some 1.82 million passenger cars were sold via retail channels in July, up 20.4 percent year-on-year, posting a relatively high growth compared with that in the past decade, data from the China Passenger Car Association showed.

Production of China's passenger vehicles amounted to 2.16 million units in July, surging 41.6 percent year-on-year.

The improving logistics and supply chains, increased business activity, the country's raft of pro-consumption measures, among other factors, all contributed to the auto market expansion, the association said.

China in late May announced it would halve the car purchase tax for passenger vehicles priced at no more than 300,000 yuan (about $44,389 and with 2-liter engines or smaller.) The tax cut will last from June 1 to the end of the year.

Major auto companies also stepped up their promotional activities in July to counter the setbacks suffered earlier this year due to COVID-19 flare-ups, in order to meet their annual goals, according to the association.