Geely sees robust domestic auto sales

HONG KONG: Carmaker Geely Automobile said yesterday that its parent company has strong support from the Chinese government to acquire Ford Motor's Volvo unit, and expects robust growth for the domestic automobile industry this year.

"Without government support, the (Volvo) deal could not be done," Gui Shengyue, chief executive of Geely Automobile, told reporters in Hong Kong.

Last week, Ford said it was nearing an agreement to sell Volvo to Zhejiang Geely Holding Group, underscoring China's arrival as a major force in the global automobile industry.