1. Text: | Print|

      Japanese auto suppliers fined to protect consumers

      2014-08-21 08:18 China Daily Web Editor: Qin Dexing
      1

      China imposed the largest anti-trust fine in its regulatory history on a dozen Japanese auto parts manufactures and suppliers on Wednesday, reflecting its resolve to prevent market leaders from jeopardizing consumer interests through price manipulation.

      Ten of the 12 Japanese companies, were fined a total of 1.24 billion yuan ($202 million) for price fixing. Hitachi and Nachi-Fujikoshi were exempted because they pleaded guilty and provided evidence against the other companies. The largest single fine, of 290 million yuan, was imposed on Sumitomo Corp, which is also the largest fine on one company operating in Chinese anti-trust history.

      Last year, China fined its two major domestic liquor makers Kweichow Moutai and the Wuliangye Yibin Group 249 million yuan and 202 million yuan respectively.

      Moreover, Japanese auto parts makers are not the only ones operating in the auto sector to be penalized for practicing monopoly. German automaker BMW, too, has been penalized, and Chinese regulators are set to fine Mercedes-Benz and Audi for monopoly and price manipulation. Fiat Chrysler Automobile NV's Chrysler will also face punishment for violating China's anti-monopoly law.

      Japanese companies have a history of being investigated and penalized for monopolizing prices in global markets. For example, NSK has been penalized in Canada, the European Union, Singapore and Australia this year for monopolizing ball-bearing prices. And Japanese tire maker Bridgestone has been fined heavily in the US for monopoly activities.

      The 10 fined Japanese companies operating in China have not been penalized without reason. According to the National Development and Reform Commission, which is in charge of the anti-trust probe into auto parts manufacturers, Hitachi and Nachi-Fujikoshi-the tainted witnesses-provided solid evidence such as e-mails and documents to the Chinese authorities against the guilty companies. Based on the evidence and investigation results, the regulators found that the Japanese companies secretly carried out price-fixing activities.

      Research by industrial associations, too, point to the possibility of price manipulation by the Japanese companies. According to Insurance Association of China and China Automotive Maintenance and Repair Trade Association, the total cost of the auto parts of a Japanese car could be many times more than the price of the car if somebody wants to replace them. As it is, Japanese cars cost much more than domestic and some foreign brands. For example, the ratio of Yaris, a Toyota model, is more than seven times, the highest after a Mercedes-Benz model. This means consumers would have to pay an unfairly high price if they need to replace any of the auto parts.

      Although the regulatory move is not likely to shake Japanese carmakers' positions in the market, it will have a bearing on their brand image. Japanese cars have been very popular in China because many consumers believe they are more fuel efficient and "inexpensive" compared with other foreign brands, such as Volkswagen.

      Because of the souring of relations between Beijing and Tokyo over a territorial dispute, Japanese carmakers once feared that their sales would drop sharply in the Chinese market. But the impact has been quite small. Take Toyota for example. In 2013, it sold 917,500 vehicles in China, up by 9.2 percent year-on-year. Its unexpectedly exceptional performance is in stark contrast to the poor monthly sales starting from late 2012, when the Beijing-Tokyo intensified.

      Toyota's popularity among Chinese consumers may continue despite the regulatory move, but the result of the anti-trust investigation will make Chinese consumers realize that they would end up paying high after-sale costs if they buy Japanese cars.

      What is worth monitoring, therefore, is whether the Japanese companies follow their German rivals to give up their monopolistic activities and reduce the prices of their auto parts to the benefit of Chinese consumers.

      Comments (0)
      Most popular in 24h
        Archived Content
      Media partners:

      Copyright ©1999-2018 Chinanews.com. All rights reserved.
      Reproduction in whole or in part without permission is prohibited.

      主站蜘蛛池模板: 亚洲精品无码久久久久YW| 一个人免费播放在线视频看片| 中文字幕永久免费视频| 国产成人A在线观看视频免费| 国产AV无码专区亚洲A∨毛片| 亚洲成a人无码亚洲成av无码 | 亚洲欧洲另类春色校园网站| 久久久久久久久久久免费精品 | 无码专区—VA亚洲V天堂| 日韩亚洲综合精品国产| 无人在线直播免费观看| 亚洲成人精品久久| 特色特黄a毛片高清免费观看| 拨牐拨牐x8免费| 亚洲欧洲国产视频| 中文字幕在线免费看线人| 免费一看一级毛片人| 亚洲人片在线观看天堂无码| 99re免费在线视频| 亚洲精品无码不卡在线播HE| 一级毛片aa高清免费观看| 国产真人无遮挡作爱免费视频| 亚洲一卡2卡3卡4卡国产网站| 在线毛片片免费观看| 国产亚洲精品无码拍拍拍色欲| 人人狠狠综合久久亚洲| 四虎永久在线精品免费网址| 亚洲精品国产专区91在线| 免费观看男人吊女人视频| 伊伊人成亚洲综合人网7777| 日本精品久久久久久久久免费| 精品国产一区二区三区免费看| 国产v亚洲v天堂a无| 免费观看激色视频网站(性色)| 久久亚洲春色中文字幕久久久| 18禁在线无遮挡免费观看网站| 亚洲啪啪综合AV一区| 久久精品无码免费不卡| 老司机亚洲精品影视www| 国产精品成人免费观看| 亚洲人成网站观看在线播放|