Sales of automotive vehicles (passenger cars plus commercial vehicles) in China dropped 0.3 percent year on year to 1.55 million units in April this year, marking the first year-on-year decrease since January 2009, the China Association of Automobile Manufacturers (CAAM) has stated. The April figure was also down from the 1.83 million units sold in March. In the first four months of 2011, China's auto sales increased by six percent year on year to 6.53 million units.
Meanwhile, in April China's automotive vehicle output fell 1.9 percent from a year earlier to about 1.53 million units.
CAAM attributed the decline in automotive vehicle sales in April to the end of relevant tax breaks and incentive policies in the country.