China on Track to Build More Cars than Europe in 2013

The industrial power of the world is rapidly moving toward China. The Financial Times is predicting that China will produce more cars than Europe, including Russia and Turkey, for the first time ever in 2013. 

China is predicted to build 19.6 million cars in 2013, compared to 18.3 million from Europe. That is especially impressive when you consider that China did not build 1 million cars in a year until 1992. 

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The reason for China's rapid rise as an automotive power is relatively simple. The country charges a minimum of a 25% tariff on imported cars. To avoid the tariff, automakers have to build cars in China, but to do that they must partner with a domestic Chinese automaker in a joint venture.

Over time that has brought most major, global automakers into China, and cars from these automakers built in China are slowing being exported elsewhere. In addition to that, China has had a growing middle class in the last decade. 

Unfortunately, there are not many ways to stem this tide. Buyers could choose not to buy cars imported from China, but there is a large enough Chinese market to offset these sales. Populations are staying roughly stagnant in Europe and North America, while China continues to grow. That means fewer car buyers in the West and more in the East. 

Source: Car and Driver