Personal Cars and China (2003)

Summary: This report on the Chinese automotive industry and the future of personal cars in China addresses issues sur-rounding the rapid motorization presently taking place in China. For example, the higher polluting emissions that will accompany the proliferation of cars in China are pre-dicted to have global implications for climate change, while an expanding Chinese automotive fleet will in-crease the world demand for petroleum, and lead to higher international prices as China becomes a major petroleum importer. Other problems that will confront China as it continues to develop its transportation sys-tem—such as congestion, pollution, more accidents, un-desirable changes in land use, and urban decentraliza-tion—must be addressed if Chinese cities are to remain livable. Both social and technological options are ex-plored.