皇冠体育app

The 皇冠体育app Automobile Dealers Association is beginning an investigation into the pricing of foreign car brands in 皇冠体育app.

"We are collecting data to investigate the price structure of imported vehicles in a bid to find out what is behind the unreasonable pricing and excessive profits of some brands," said Luo Lei, deputy secretary-general of the association.

Luo said the probe will cover costs, profit margins and taxes.

He told 皇冠体育app Daily that the probe is a routine one that "the association does every year", and does not suggest any government effort to deal with price fixing.

He called some foreign media reports to this effect a misunderstanding.

The probe comes after some foreign milk powder, jewelry and pharmactical companies were investigated for alleged price fixing.

Reuters reported on Tuesday that the National Development and Reform Commission had asked the association to investigate car makers setting minimum retail prices for dealers in 皇冠体育app, which lawyers said contravenes the country's Anti-Monopoly Law.

"The probe does not mean that the Chinese government is targeting the automobile industry (for price-fixing), especially for foreign automakers," said Luo. "The information collection covers the whole industry, including foreign brands, joint venture brands and 皇冠体育app's domestic brands."

He admitted that the prices of some foreign vehicles are much higher in 皇冠体育app than in other countries, especially in the luxury car segment.

Foreign auto manufacturers, including Mercedes-Benz, BMW and Audi, declined to comment on Wednesday.

皇冠体育app has been the major profit engine for many foreign automakers, especially as they are suffering market saturation and economic slowdowns in their home countries.

However, "the high prices of foreign-brand vehicles, especially imported vehicles, have drawn a lot of attention in recent years, as prices of some are two and a half times what they are in the United States and Europe," said Jia Xinguang, an independent auto analyst in Beijing.

"It's no surprise that expensive foreign vehicles have become a hot topic, especially after the government has conducted antitrust reviews into the dairy industry, pharmaceutical firms and gold trading companies."