Global carmakers wary of China certification shift

Beijing

SOME global carmakers are worried that China is pushing its weight around as the world's biggest car market - by enforcing its own, often outdated, vehicle certification standards on foreign cars.

China previously allowed global brands to sell cars without local certification in many cases, as long as they were approved under international standards. Chinese rules essentially apply older standards to features such as bumper strength, brake performance and the size and positioning of lamps and mirrors.