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Global South Aids China’s Rise to Number 2 Global Car Exporter

by Cobus van Staden
Chart tracking the trends in Chinese automotive exports over the past ten years. Source: China Association of Automobile Manufacturers.

China surpassed Germany to become the world’s second-largest car exporter, after Japan. New numbers from the China Association of Automobile Manufacturers show that China moved up from the number three position it reached last year by displacing South Korea.

China exported 1.91 million cars in the first eight months of 2022. Markets in the Global South play a big role in this success. For example, in South Africa, Chinese carmakers are edging past German and Japanese competitors that have dominated the market for decades. By June 2022, the Chinese brand Chery sold 1,320 new cars, compared to 999 sold by Mercedes Benz.

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