GM plans to be first to import Chinese cars to US
- Source: The Global Times
- [17:44 May 12 2009]
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By Shi Jierui
General Motors plans to sell China-made cars in the US from 2011, according to a planning document circulated by GM among US lawmakers.
The document says GM plans to sell about 17,335 of the China-made vehicles, many of which are small sedans, in the US in 2011, and 51,546 in 2014.
In the next five years, sales of China-made cars in the US would increase to 50 percent. The 12-page document also says cars from China would still account for only 1.6 percent of GM's 3.1 million expected sales in the US in 2014.
The plans are subject to change pending the outcome of negotiations with the United Auto Workers (UAW).
In a May 5 letter to US senators, the UAW criticized GM plans to increase US sales with vehicles from other countries. "GM should not be taking taxpayers' money simply to finance the outsourcing of jobs to other countries," the letter from UAW legislative director Alan Reuther said.
"We are in dialogue with the UAW, and my view of a dialogue is that it is a good idea to have an open book on all the different subjects," GM CEO Fritz Henderson said in a media conference call Monday. "We have a philosophy of building where we sell, and not only do we think that is the right thing to do, but the most profitable thing to do historically."
Agencies also contributed to this story
