China's passenger car sales continued to grow at a double-digit pace in May after buyer interest clicked into higher gear, thanks to new models unveiled at the country's largest auto show in Shanghai in April.
Deliveries of sedans, sport-utility vehicles, multi-purpose vehicles and minivans last month rose 13.4 percent from a year earlier to 1.34 million units, the China Passenger Car Association said yesterday.
"A large part of the orders lodged during the Shanghai Auto Show were fulfilled in May," said Rao Da, secretary-general of the association.
Though May's year-on-year rise in car sales slowed from the 16.6 percent growth in April, it was a confidence-booster for an industry beset by many problems, including policies in large urban areas to limit the number of new license plates to ease congestion and reduce pollution.
"It seems unlikely that the government will intervene this year," Rao said. "The wholesale car industry may add 2 million units this year to 21.3 million units."
However, summer is traditionally a slack season for auto sales. By the end of this month, the inventory pressure at dealerships may mount again if they fail to attain their half-year sales targets, he added.
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