Word: russianize
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...where, among a smattering of grime-encrusted buildings and two unfinished helipads, Great Wall Motor, one of China's up-and-coming automakers, plans to build a $70 million factory capable of churning out 50,000 cars and SUVs a year. If it gets a green light from Russian officials, the factory will be Great Wall Motor's sixth overseas manufacturing facility - and one of the company's launching pads in an effort to become a multinational manufacturer...
...ground in Russia. While there has been a lot of noise about fledgling efforts by Chinese carmakers Chery Automobile and Brilliance China Automotive to break into the hugely competitive U.S., Russia is currently the world's largest overseas market for Chinese cars. It's home to three joint Chinese-Russian factories assembling cars for seven mainland marques, including Chery, Great Wall, Geely and BYD Auto. While China's overall share of Russia's foreign-car market is relatively small - just 3% in mid-2007 - sales jumped 472% in the first half of the year and are projected to double...
...Chinese cars are well positioned to tap that growth because they are seen as more reliable than Russian-made models and are significantly cheaper than Korean and Japanese imports. The average Russian blanches at the thought of paying more than $10,000 for a car. At the low end of the price spectrum, "it's better to buy Chinese models, like the Chery Amulet," says Rustam Gubazov, a 34-year-old taxi driver in Kazan, Tatarstan's capital. Gubazov says he has owned eight cars in eight years, including four Russian-made Zhigulis. The Amulet, the top-selling Chinese...
...With that kind of word-of-mouth, Chinese cars could account for 10% of Russia's foreign-auto market in 10 years, says Bonchev. But profits may depend on whether Chinese manufacturers are able to own and operate factories independently on Russian soil. Currently, mainland automakers are forced to rely on joint-venture assembly plants and licensing agreements to sell cars to Russians. To protect its domestic car companies, Moscow may keep it that way. Though four Chinese automakers have applied to open their own Russian plants, none have been approved, according to the Ministry of Economic Development and Trade...
...Meanwhile, Great Wall Motors is waiting for Russia's Ministry of Industry and Energy and the Federal Customs Service to give the go-ahead to build its planned factory in the Alabuga SEZ. Wang, the Great Wall Motor president, says her company "cannot lose the Russian market," partly because Russia is seen as a stepping-stone to Eastern Europe and Central Asia. But if Moscow decides to throw up roadblocks, Chinese carmakers - and Yelabuga - could be stuck in neutral for years to come...