Japan earthquake rattles carmakers in China
Some local brands could also face production disruptions because they receive key components from Japan to boost quality, according to the China Passenger Car Association.
Some carmakers would run out of stocks at the end of this month, the association said. If they did not adjust the operation pace, the production of some models could be halted under extreme circumstances, it said.
"Some domestic auto makers will have to find alternative parts suppliers from other countries," said Song Donglin, an economist and the president of Jilin University of Finance and Economics.
Chinese auto parts makers should learn a lesson from the supply chain crisis and move up the value chain, experts said.
China's auto industry should also boost indigenous innovation, particularly with increasing investment on the research and development of key components, said Li Junjiang, the head of the School of Economics under Jilin University.
"China has become the world's largest auto market, but we cannot call it an auto power," Li said.
Su Hui, an official at the China Automobile Dealers Association, said that the disruption could prompt Japanese auto parts producers to move some of their production to China and also bring opportunities to both local and other foreign brands as vehicle imports from Japan become affected.
