The export prices of Chinese motorcycles have risen since the government raised the qualification requirements for domestic motorcycle exporters on March 1.

 

Chinese manufacturers exported 6.36 million motorcycles from March to October, up 21.3 percent from the same period last year. Their value was US$2.25 billion, up 39.8 percent, with unit prices rising 15.3 percent.

 

It was the first time that the growth rate of the country's motorcycle export value exceeds that of the amount of export, said sources with the Ministry of Commerce on Thursday.

 

Surplus production in the motorcycle industry had led to unhealthy competition among domestic manufacturers in overseas markets, with irrational price cutting in the scramble for market share.

 

The government's decision in March to raise the qualification requirements for exporters prevented prices from dropping further and reduced the number of exporters from 855 to 503.

 

China has been the world's largest motorcycle producer for 12 straight years, with an annual output of 18 million units, half the world's total.

 

Exports surged from 250,000 units in 1999 to 7.23 million in 2005, while export value rose from US$130 million to US$2.25 billion.

 

(Xinhua News Agency December 8, 2006)