Car Imports Slightly Increase in January
Vietnam is estimated to import 1,400 finished cars worth US$28 million in January of 2006, a 4.1 per cent increase over the same period last year, the government’s General Statistics Office (GSO) said.
“The consecutive tax reductions on imported cars have raised the import volume in the month,” an official from the Ministry of Trade said, adding that local car traders believed that their cars will sell better with lower prices.
In January, Vietnam is also predicted to spend US$60 million on importing components for its fledging automotive industry, which is heavily reliant on component imports.
Last year, Vietnam spent US$280 million on importing 17,000 automobiles, down 3.2 per cent on year in value and 24.3 per cent in volume, said GSO. The country also disbursed US$800 million on auto components in the year.
Currently, there are 11 operational foreign car assemblers in the country with total investment of over US$500 million and an installed capacity of 148,000 units a year, excluding three newly licensed: Japan’s Honda, Taiwan’s VMEP and Malaysia’s JRD.
T.V
Vietnamese
