Ford optimistic about Chinese market

The Ford company is expanding its dealership network in China into the western Tier 3 cities where growth is expected, said Hau Thai-Tang, Ford Motor Co's (F.N) head of global purchasing lately.

This move reflects Ford's optimism about Chinese market. "Longer term, we're still very bullish on China," Hau Thai-Tang was quoted as saying at an auto industry conference in New York.

There has been a 3 percent year-on-year drop in Ford's car sales in June.

However CEO Mark Fields wants to address the big picture. He thinks it's normal to go through fluctuations, especially for emerging markets.

"After all, China is the biggest market in the world right now", he emphasized.

"we don't see anything like prolonged period of recessions at this point in China," Hau Thai-Tang added.

Ford's total car sales in the first half year was 543,488 in China, similar to that of the same period last year.

Auto production in China rose 0.8 percent year on year to 13.6 million vehicles in the first seven months, while sales increased 0.39 percent to 13.3 million, according to a China Association of Automobile Manufacturers (CAAM) press release.