Jan. 19, 2007 (China Knowledge) – Chery is eyeing a partnership with Malaysian carmaker Proton to explore the Malaysian market. As a first step, Chery plans to commission Proton to assemble two Chery models for sale in Malaysia, said Tan Sri Cam Thiam Hong, executive chairman of Alado Corp., Chery's Malaysian distributor on Thursday. However, he did not say if Chery’s cars will be assembled under the Chery or Proton brand. Cam added that when ongoing negotiations complete, Proton would assemble 50 to 60 Chery vehicles during the initial stage. The Anhui-based Chery has sold 305,236 units in the Mainland, a 61% year-on-year increase. On the other hand, exports increased by 178% to a record high of 50,000 units. According to the statistics from the China Association of Automobile Manufacturers, Chery occupied a 7.4% market share for the first half of 2006, ranking it fourth in China. The association’s secretary-general Jiang Lei expects Mainland carmakers like Chery to maintain their sales growth at between 15% and 20% in 2007. The association also estimates that sales could reach eight million units in China this year, maintaining a 15% growth rate.
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