Volkswagen China sales may rise in line with overall auto market in 2016

[BEIJING] German automaker Volkswagen AG estimates its China sales may rise at a rate in line with overall auto market growth this year, the head of its China business, Jochem Heizmann, said on Tuesday.

Mr Heizmann told reporters in Beijing that he expected China's total passenger car market will expand in line with, or perhaps even exceed, gross domestic product growth in the world's second-largest economy.

He added that the company was in early talks with Chinese automaker JAC Motors about the potential for cooperation between the pair.

The automaker also plans to increase its Chinese workforce by a third, reaching 120,000 by 2019 from the current staff of 90,000, Mr Heizmann said.

Boosted by China, Volkswagen's group sales returned to growth in January, the company said last week.

REUTERS