With pressure mounting to achieve its sales targets in 2013, where else to look for buyers but China, the largest automotive market in the world?

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China is now the largest automotive market in the world by far, and the long lines at the Apple store in Beijing, the crowded restaurants, and the robust sales of fashion items all tell the same story Chinese consumers are on a spending spree.

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For instance, in the automotive seating market in China, Johnson Controls occupies top position with 44% market share.

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With high market share of the China market, the Chinese automotive companies will have the financial and technical resources to build strong positions in the global markets.

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On the other hand, Lin Huaibin, the manager responsible for China vehicle sales forecasts for IHS Automotive, a leading independent consulting firm, still expects the market to grow by 10 percent in 2011, stimulated by subsidies for fuel-efficient vehicles as well as the more than 9.5 percent GDP growth forecast by the IHS economist.

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In industries like automotive components, foreign companies are up against local competitors that have lower costs and instinctively know the China market much better.

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