20-03-2007 CHINA'S
major bus makers raised export forecasts for this year despite a series of patent
infringement disputes that have damaged their brands in the global market. Xiamen
King Long United Automotive Industry Co Ltd expects its bus exports to double
to 5,000 units this year from 2006, after seeing a 200 percent jump in 2005, according
to Zhang Wanyi, general manager of King Long's overseas business department. 
foreign
visiters show their interest to KingLong products
The
nation's second-largest bus manufacturer said expanding overseas will help its
total vehicle sales top 30,000 this year, compared with 24,000 units in 2006. "The
overseas markets have higher growth potential for King Long as China's price-competitive
models are in demand, especially in Russia and countries in the Middle East,"
Zhang told journalist during 2007 Busworld Asia Exhibition. China's
major bus makers including Yutong Group and Zhongtong Bus Holding Co Ltd are aggressively
pushing sales overseas. The firms tout cost advantages - 30 to 50 percent lower
than global rivals such as Volvo AB and DaimerChrysler AG's Mercedes-Benz models
- to potential customers. 
Yutong
stand attracts many vistiers
Overseas
expansion also helps China buses makers offset intensifying domestic competition
as about 100 manufacturers vie for a slice of the action. Nonetheless,
China's smaller bus makers have drawn criticism from overseas manufacturers over
patent infringements. Germany's
Neoplan AG sued Jiangsu Province-based Zhongda Industrial Group Co Ltd last year
for copying its design. "Such
disputes do not shake our confidence in search of sales overseas," said Zhao
Yan, a public relations official from Yutong, the nation's biggest bus maker. "Chinese
companies are stepping up measures to increase their innovation and research and
development capability. Time is needed to establish the nation's own brand in
the fast expanding bus market." China's
bus makers sold a combined 191,000 units last year, a seven percent increase from
2005.
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