Qiantang District Steps on the Gas to Accelerate Used Car Exports

Qiantang District is actively building a one-stop automotive consumption system.                     Mengma Xinglian Industrial Chain Export Base.

Last Friday night, even though it had passed 10 p.m., several offices in a commercial building near Jinsha Lake in Qiantang District remained brightly lit. "We need to revise this text, and we still need to confirm some details with the other party…" Pan Jianhui, head of Hangzhou Huge International Trading Co., Ltd. ("Huge International"), continuously discussed with his colleagues, verifying details of a batch of used cars with a dealer all the way in Dubai. Due to the four-hour time difference between Dubai and Hangzhou, working late into the night has become the norm for them.

As one of the key trade channels, the export of used cars plays an important role in promoting high-quality foreign trade delvelopment. Last year, China fully liberalized this business, leading to a continuous increase in Hangzhou's used car export volume, with private enterprises contributing significantly. Currently, Qiantang District ranks first in Hangzhou in both export volume and value for used cars among private enterprises. Notably, the city's first independently completed used car export by a private enterprise was handled by Huge International.

"Last year, we exported more than 2,700 used cars, each priced at approximately $15,000. Qiantang District’s policies have been a strong driving force for us. For example, they provide Sinosure business training for private companies like ours and streamline service processes to help us overcome challenges such as registration difficulties for fuel vehicles and lengthy export tax refund processes. These efforts have greatly alleviated our financial pressure," said Pan Jianhui. This year, he plans to expand his outreach by participating in large trade fairs such as the Middle East Auto Show and the Canton Fair.

Huge International's rapid growth is a testament to Qiantang District’s strategy of refining the industrial chain and supporting the private economy. In 2024, the district achieved ¥306 million in used car export revenue, driving a 2.53% increase in total exports. Qiantang has now established a full-service workflow for used car exports, integrating customs, storage yards, and market circulation. This enables tax refunds to be processed in as little as 15 days, ensuring efficient capital turnover. Additionally, the district is guiding enterprises to develop international online platforms for used car exports. The platform’s online system has now officially launched, providing foreign buyers with direct access to purchasing used cars from China.

As a major industrial district, Qiantang is leveraging its industrial foundation to cultivate specialized trading markets such as Mengma Auto Town, Huadong Auto City, and Wanpin Auto Parts City, aiming to create a fully integrated industrial chain ecosystem. For instance, Mengma Auto Town, a project introduced by Xiasha Subdistrict, achieved nearly ¥10 billion in domestic sales last year. At the beginning of this year, it completed its first used car export order, successfully shipping 160 used cars to Dubai. Having gained this initial success, Mengma Auto Town will continue to expand in both domestic and international markets, striving to build a new platform integrating vehicle preparation, inspection, registration, and customs clearance for used car exports.

"Our 18,000-square-meter Mengma Xinglian Industrial Chain Export Base is currently under renovation. Once completed, it will further assist automakers and buyers in connecting resources and sharing information, strengthening Qiantang District's position as the top destination for foreign customers to purchase vehicles," said Pei Ziming, General Manager of Mengma Auto Town.