A traffic jam in China, where the population loves cars. (Photo : Reuters)
Even though Chinese car retailers are in the mid of disgruntled negotiations with overseas carmakers and ex-government vehicles are being auctioned off after the enactment of new policies, the level of private car ownership among the nation's 1.36 billion people continues to grow, with the capital featuring especially prominently in the data.
The Public Security Ministry delivered a statement on Tuesday, in which it revealed data that showed, for every 100 households in Beijing, 63 passenger vehicles are registered with the city's government. The capital's rate of car ownership represents over twice China's overall average of 25 cars.
However, Beijing was not a completely isolated occurrence, as both the capital city and Shanghai sat alongside 10 Chinese municipalities in which over 2 million vehicles are driven on metropolitan roads.
Meanwhile, a total of 35 cities across China consist of citizens who collectively own over 1 million automobiles.
The major rise in the rate of vehicle ownership has been attributed to citizens with higher incomes who commute in cities that continue to accommodate growing population levels. While the upswing is associated with improved economic conditions and healthier employment figures, the side effects of traffic congestion and air pollution have become harmful.
Beyond Beijing and Shanghai, the southern city of Shenzhen became the eighth city in China to implement an upper limit on the number of new vehicle registrations.
Over the course of last year, the national tally of passenger vehicles hit a new record of 154 million. Consequently, the car surpassed the motorcycle as the preferred mode of transport throughout China.
