China auto sales top 200,000

China auto sales top 200,000

SHANGHAI: Growth in the full-sized sedan and sports utility
vehicle (SUV) sectors pushed China's monthly auto sales past
200,000 units for the first time in September, a report released
on Monday showed.

At the same time, officials sought to allay fears the world's
fourth largest auto market was not overheating, despite a massive
surge of investment from domestic and foreign carmakers.

Passenger vehicle sales hit a record 200,480 during the month,
up 56 percent year-on-year, with total January-September sales at
1.45 million, up 69 percent from a year ago, quasi-governmental
Automotive Resources Asia said.

Full-size sedan sales were up 117 percent in September
year-on-year at 45,258 units, with SUV sales up 132 percent from
the same period last year at 6,491.

Subcompact and sedan car sales -- traditionally the strongest
sectors in China's auto industry -- also showed continued strong
growth, up 37 percent and 34 percent year-on-year at 41,988 and
78,867 units respectively. --AFP

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Money-Singapore-tourism
S'pore offer cheap flights
JP/14/Money

S'pore offer cheap flights

SINGAPORE: Singapore's tourism authorities said Monday they
would offer S$15 million (US$8.6 million) in cheap flights and
other incentives to attract more business visitors to the city-
state.

The Singapore Tourism Board (STB) said the promotional
campaign aims to help boost the number of business visitors
coming to the island nation for conferences and exhibitions from
1.5 million last year to 1.8 by 2005.

This would increase the amount of revenue generated in this
sector from S$2.2 billion in 2002 to S$3 billion.

The STB said the incentives included complimentary rooms from
participating hotels, discounts on food and drinks at functions,
special rates with Singapore Airlines and the board's help with
marketing.

To qualify for the incentives, organizations have to confirm
their decision to hold their conference or exhibition by December
next year and the event must be held by the end of 2007.

"We want to tell the world that there us no better time for
organizers and meeting planners to confirm their events in
Singapore," STB chief executive Lim Neo Chian said. -- AFP