More urban Chinese have plans to buy cars

CHANGCHUN, July 22 (Xinhua) — Soon after obtaining a driver’s license, Xiao Xu, a young teacher in an industrial city in northeast China, has put car purchase on her agenda as she eagerly wants to sit behind the wheel.

Xiao Xu seems to have every reason to buy a car: economically ample, wish for a comfortable tour to work, little traffic in the city where she lives,or in other words, to improve the quality of her life.

Last year, both the sales and output of cars exceeded 7.2 million in China. The national sales of automobiles may reach 10 million by 2010.

Statistics with China’s Public Security Bureau shows the accumulative number of privately owned sedans has exceeded 13 million by the end of June, up 16 percent from the end of last year.

But growing number of cars brought about high-energy consumption, traffic jam and pollution from vehicle exhaust.

Xinhua