Chery Automotive Co. (CAC), based in east China's Anhui Province, is expected to export 10,000 sedan cars this year, leading the country's carmakers in export, according to sources with the company.

Amid growing competition in domestic market, Chery has actively developed overseas markets. It started exporting cars in October 2001, and now it exports cars to more than ten countries including Iran, Iraq, Bangladesh, Cuba, Syria and Malaysia.

CAC statistics show that the company exported 2,958 cars from January to June this year, accounting for 87.2 percent of the nation's total car export. By the end of September, Chery had exported 6,000 cars.

Chery began exporting cars to Egypt in October this year and it is expected to sell 1,400 units there this year. Cuban began to import Chery-made cars in August this year.

At the same time, it has launched CKD (completely knocked down) projects overseas, which are assembled and sold locally. Its CKD project in Iran has started operation, making Chery the first Chinese automaker to produce cars abroad.

(Xinhua News Agency October 18, 2004)