General Motors announced that it has formed a 50/50 Joint Venture with FAW Group to make light trucks in China for the 1st time, in a further sign that the US car maker has increased focus on the Chinese market in the face of weak US sales. Total investment in the JV with the Chinese vehicle maker will be US$293M GM said Sunday, under a deal that the two companies had been negotiating for several years. The partnership with FAW, called FAW-GM Light Duty Commercial Vehicle Co, will be GM’s 3rd JV with a local vehicle maker, but the first to produce trucks. GM’s other Chinese Joint Ventures produce passenger cars and mini commercial vehicles. GM passenger car sales in China rose 52% year-on-year in July, traditionally a weak month, according to figures from JD Power, the car consultancy. Total Chinese light vehicle sales in July were up a remarkable 60% year-on-year at 1.03M vehicles, the JD Power figures showed. Chinese light vehicle sales have continued to surprise vehicle market analysts since January 2009.
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