Ford Sees Increased Sales in China

FRANKFURT, Jan 19, 2005; Reuters reported that Ford Motor Co expects to double sales in China in the years ahead, despite slowing market growth of late, the number two U.S. automaker's chief operating officer and designated president told a German magazine.

"Last year it was around 85,000 Fords and 100,000 Mazdas (sold in China), around 200,000 cars in all" Jim Padilla told Auto, Motor und Sport in an interview published on Wednesday.

"We see good chances of doubling this number in a few years," he added without specifying how many.

Ford owns a third of Japan's Mazda Motor Corp , which said this week it would form a sales venture in China with local partner First Automotive Works to boost its market share.

Mazda, Ford and China's Changan Automobile Co have also received government approval for a new assembly plant in Nanjing, near China's richest city, Shanghai.

Mazda sold about 97,000 vehicles in China in 2004, up 21 percent from a year earlier, and targets annual sales of 300,000 by 2010. Total car sales in China rose 15.2 percent in 2004 to 2.33 million units.