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
;AFP; ANPAf..r.. 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