2004 Beijing International Automotive Conference

Beijing -- April 16, 2004 -- It is said that annual production of automobiles in China will reach 10 million in 2010. With automobile markets maturing in other parts of the world, China stands out for the attractiveness of its market size and growth speed. At the same time, the world is paying close attention to the development of the Chinese market in view of the nation's harmony with the world economy and its effects on global environmental problems.

As a platform to discuss the healthy development of the automotive industry and market in China, the 2004 Beijing International Automotive Conference will be held prior to the forthcoming Beijing Motor Show. Nikkei Business, a general business weekly published by Nikkei Business Publications, will be the organizer of the conference. The co-organizers will be China's most respected economic and financial newspaper, China Economic Times, as well as the Society of Automotive Engineers of China and China Association of Automobile Manufacturers, both of which are the hosting organizations for the Beijing Motor Show. Both organizations have strong influences on China's automotive industry, and having them as co-organizers has created this international seminar hosted jointly by Japan and China. The 2004 Beijing International Automotive Conference is the one and only official seminar of the Beijing Motor Show.

Nikkei Business is Japan's largest general business weekly with a circulation of 350,000. The magazine is the organizer of the Tokyo International Automotive Conference, which is held in simultaneously with the Tokyo Motor Show. The event in 2003 was attended by CEOs and COOs from Japan, U.S., Europe and China, including Hiroshi Okuda, Chairman of Toyota Motor and Richard Wagoner Jr., Chairman of General Motors. The event was a major success as the world's largest and highest quality automotive conference.

The 2004 Beijing International Automotive Conference will invite government officials responsible for creating China's automotive industry policies, as well as top managers from the leading automakers in Japan, China, U.S. and Europe. Many prominent figures from China, including Mr. Zhu Yanfeng, President of China FAW Group Co., China's largest automaker enjoys close relations with Germany's Volkswagen and Japan's Toyota Motor, and Mr. Xu Heyi, Vice Chairman of Beijing Automobile Industry Holding Group who which partners with DaimlerChrysler and Korea's Hyundai Motor, will all be present. Also presenting are Mr. Jean-Martin Foltz, Chairman of France's PSA Peugeot Citroen, and senior managers from leading automakers such as Toyota Motor, Nissan Motor and Volkswagen.

The 2004 Beijing International Automotive Conference will be transmitted via satellite simultaneously to three venues in Japan -- Tokyo, Nagoya and Osaka.

Event Title: 2004 Beijing International Automotive Conference
Venue : China World Hotel
Date : Tuesday, June 8, 2004 *The first day (=Press Day) of the Beijing Motor Show
Speakers :China's government officials;senior managers, engineering/marketing specialists, and international business managers from automakers in Japan, China and Europe
Organized by :Nikkei Business (Nikkei Business Publications)
China Economic Times (The Development Research Center of the State Council)
Society of Automotive Engineers of China
China Association of Automobile Manufacturers (CAAM)
Supported by :Japan Automobile Manufacturers Association (JAMA)
Special Cooperation : The Wall Street Journal/Dow Jones & Company
Caijing magazine
Associate Organizer: Auto Vision Co., Ltd. Beijing International Automotive Conference Press Office (at Auto Vision) TEL: +8610-8449-8999, FAX: +8610-8449-8989 E-MAIL: tickets@autovision.com.cn Nikkei Business Editorial Department (Ms. Ishiguro) TEL: +813-5210-8101, FAX: +813-5210-8521 E-MAIL: nbauto2@nikkeibp.co.jp Beijing International Automotive Conference Press Office (at Auto Vision) TEL: +8610-8449-8999, FAX: +8610-8449-8989 MAIL: tickets@autovision.com.cn