Automotive Industry Representatives Meet in Shanghai to Discuss Plans to Develop 'Shanghai-Brand Automobiles'

SHANGHAI, China, Dec. 21, 2005; Shanghai Jinshan District Government announces that recently Shanghai Maple Automobile Co., Ltd organized a conference under the theme of ''Studying and Reporting the Feasibility of Developing the Automotive Industry in Jinshan,'' with the assistance of China Automotive News Office. At the conference, the participants discussed topics such as the development of the automotive industry and establishment of an automotive base in Jinshan, from various perspectives such as external conditions, industrial background, advantages in human resources and industry policy.

As one of the five largest automotive clusters in China, Shanghai not only has the most matured auto accessories and parts producers, but also has favorable groundwork in economy, industry, science and human resources. The three key players of ''Shanghai Volkswagen, Shanghai GM and Shanghai Maple'' have been dominating the market. Being a key enterprise in Jinshan district, Shanghai Maple Automobile has become an important force in Shanghai's automotive industry. Known as the ''Shanghai-brand Motor'', Maple Automobile has occupied the market of automobiles with self-owned brands.

In recent years, having developed quickly and emerged as a new force among the middle-class saloon-car manufacturers, Shanghai Maple Automobile acts as a significant force that drives the growth of Jinshan district. Besides the international chemical industry, the automotive industry has become another highlight of economic growth in the Jinshan district.

At present, Shanghai Maple Automobile is further boosting the integration of industries, universities and research institutes, exploring the concept of working together with scientific research institutes, foreign engineering technology companies and famous suppliers and making more forceful efforts to develop new environment friendly models that consume new types of energy.

About Jinshan District

Jinshan, one of the 19 districts (counties) of Shanghai, is located in the southwest of the city, north of the Hangzhou Bay and west of Zhejiang Province. It is situated at the hub of the economic region linking Shanghai, Hangzhou and Ningbo, and is inside the geographic ring of the Yangtze River Delta that is only a two hours drive away.

Jinshan District has a total land area of 586 square kilometers (about 226 square miles), equivalent to that of Singapore, and a population of 550,000. It has rich natural and cultural heritages, including beautiful beach lines, famous traditional peasant paintings, black ceramic arts and crafts, and a world-renowned petrochemical base.

  For more information, please contact:

   Wang Ren
   Shanghai Jinshan District Government
   Tel:   +86-21-5792-1325
   Fax:   +86-21-5792-1100
   Email: rwang@jsq.shanghai.gov.cn