China will try to promote auto consumption by new measures to invigorate the second-hand vehicle and auto leasing markets, said Premier Wen Jiabao in his government work report at parliament session today.

The efforts will concentrate on promoting a healthy consumption pattern in the auto market, which is key to boosting domestic consumption.

The growth in China's auto sales slowed 15.1 percent from a year earlier to 6.7 percent in 2008, the first single-digit increase since 1999. A total of 9.38 million vehicles were sold last year.

(China Daily March 5, 2009)