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AAIA Applauds House Approval of China Trade Agreement, Door Opens for U.S. Automotive Aftermarket

26 May 2000

AAIA Applauds House Approval of China Trade Agreement, Door Opens for U.S. Automotive Aftermarket

    BETHESDA, Md., May 25 The automotive aftermarket is a
giant step closer to helping shape the emergence of the Chinese aftermarket
with the historic passage of legislation by the House of Representatives to
normalize trade relations with China, the Automotive Aftermarket Industry
Association (AAIA) announced today.
    AAIA (formerly APAA and ASIA), its member companies and affiliated state
associations have for years been instrumental in achieving significant
concessions in the market-opening agreement.  Most recently AAIA mounted a
lobbying campaign on Capitol Hill and at the grass roots level to win
congressional passage of  Permanent Normal Trade Relations (PNTR) with China.
    The agreement, which is headed for a likely Senate approval, includes many
AAIA-backed trade and investment opportunities that would cut China's
automotive product tariffs, abolish local content rules, and permit the
trading and distribution rights needed for U.S. companies' entree into the
lucrative Chinese automotive aftermarket.
    "We are witnessing a historical landmark victory for the automotive
aftermarket and one that our association played a key leadership role in
winning," said Gene Gardner, AAIA president.  "After 13 years of negotiating,
the aftermarket is just a Senate vote away from officially opening the door to
China's huge and growing consumer market.  We are grateful to our colleagues
in the industry who had worked alongside APAA and ASIA and with AAIA this past
last year and, of course, we thank our friends in Congress."
    The Automotive Aftermarket Industry Association (AAIA) is a Bethesda, Md.-
based association whose member companies manufacture, distribute and sell
motor vehicle parts, accessories, tools, equipment, materials and supplies.
The organization is comprised of manufacturers, distributors, jobbers,
wholesalers, retailers, manufacturer's representatives and other companies
doing business in the automotive aftermarket.  AAIA formerly served the
automotive aftermarket as APAA and ASIA.
    Note:  A copy of this news release is available electronically at the AAIA
World Wide Web site at http://www.aftermarket.org