Despite a slowdown for carmakers with foreign investment, Chinese homegrown brands reported a sharp increase in sales this year, according to an industrial insider.

 

"China, as the world's largest carmaking and car-using country, is also capable of becoming a super power in producing world-class vehicles," said Wu Song, general manager of GAC Motor Co, a leading Chinese-owned carmaker based in Guangzhou.

 

According to industrial data, Chinese self-developed SUVs accounted for 62 percent of sales in the home market in the first nine months of 2015, with seven out of top 10 brands were owned by Chinese car makers.

 

During the first nine months of this year, sales of foreign-invested cars increased only 0.8 percent year-on-year in the Chinese market. However, home-developed carmakers reported an increase of 21.2 percent year-on-year from January to September, Wu said.

 

Sales of GAC Motor's vehicles increased from 17,000 units in 2011 to 116,800 units in 2014. This year the number of sales is expected to reach 180,000 units, according to the company.

 

"The economic strength and increased efforts in technology research have laid a solid foundation for fast growth of Chinese self-developed vehicles," Wu said.

 

Wu was speaking at an auto show in Macao, which opened on Nov 6 and attracted 90 international car brands from 15 countries and regions.

 

GAC brought its second-generation varieties of the GS4, GS5 Super, GA6, GA3S and GA5 Rev, as well as C-CLASS GA8 that is due to be launched next year, to the show, aiming to compete with its global counterparts.

 

GAC Motor, which was established in 2008, has established a global research and development network and an international supply chain, and sells in 18 countries and regions, Wu said.

 

"Chinese carmakers are attaching more importance to high quality and design, which help greatly to make them competitive both at home and abroad," he said.

 

GAC Motor's GS4, which was launched in China in April, has become one of the SUVs with the fastest growing sales in the home market, with sales reaching 21,000 units in October, according to the company.

 

"In the new-energy vehicle sector, Chinese carmakers are expected to play a leading role as they are beginning technology research at the same level as their overseas counterparts," Wu said.

 

Wu said GAC Motor would launch three new-energy varieties in 2016 to meet growing market demand, including the GA5 PHEV, GA3S PHEV and GS4 PHEV.