Auto fever heats up

The 2010 Beijing International Automo- tive Exhibition that begins on April 23 has become one of the world's most important auto shows. Carmakers from home and broad are rolling out more new models than ever to woo Chinese buyers.

However, as domestic consumers are readily opening their wallets to hasten the shift in the center of the global car industry to the East, most Chinese cities have yet to adapt themselves to the emerging automobile culture.

China's vehicle sales surged 46 percent last year to 13.6 million units, overtaking the United States as the world's largest auto market. The country's vehicle sales are expected to rise 17 percent this year to 16 million units and annual demand for automobiles may eventually exceed 30 million sales in the future.