UNTIL NOW, THERE HAS BEEN little enthusiasm for classic cars in China, and older cars in that country have been almost actively discouraged.
However, the mood in China is changing, much to the delight of FIVA (the Fédération Internationale des Véhicules Anciens or international federation of historic vehicles).
“While the Chinese authorities are taking a suitably cautious approach to legislative changes – not least because of environmental concerns – there is definitely a sea-change in attitudes towards historic vehicles,” says FIVA President Tiddo Bresters.
In 2019, in recognition of the historical importance of motorised transport, the import to China of vehicles more than 100-years-old was made legal (previously, the import of any secondhand car was strictly banned). Even more importantly, recent legislation means it is no longer compulsory to crush cars more than 15-years-old, as the nation starts to acknowledge the importance of historic vehicles.
It’s now estimated that some million or more vehicles that have been ‘aged off’ the roads exist in China – predominantly ‘youngtimers’. If the nation’s mood continues to shift, some of these could form the bedrock of a Chinese classic car movement – along with, potentially, the future importation of classic cars.
In December, the Chinese Vice Minister of Commerce, Mr. Sheng Qiuping, met with FIVA in Paris to discuss the future of the classic car movement in China. This was followed by an invitation for FIVA President Tiddo Bresters to attend last month’s China International Classic Car Industry Outlook Conference held in Haikou, Hainan, an island province in the southernmost region of China. As well as Mr. Sheng Qiuping, delegates included Mr. Xu Xingfeng, Director of the Consumer Promotion Department of the Ministry of Commerce, and Mr. Gui’an Zong, President of the Classic Vehicle Union of China (CUVC), FIVA’s national authority (ANF) in China, who frequently communicates with Chinese authorities.
The focus of the conference was the careful development of China’s classic vehicle sector, addressing such issues as the definition of classic cars in China, the potential reform of importation policies, and the importance of international cooperation. It culminated in a memorandum of understanding between the China Automobile Dealers Association and FIVA’s ANF, pledging future cooperation.
The Conference was followed by the Hainan Pride Tour of International Collection Cars, involving primarily 1980s classic cars on a temporary import permit, including Mercedes-Benz S Klasse, Volkswagen Beetle and Porsche 928. The cars toured Hainan’s scenic roads before arriving in Sanya, China’s southernmost town.
Commented Tiddo Bresters, “Most of the participants in the Hainan Pride Tour were under 40, or even 30, years old. Attracting younger people to the historic vehicle movement is a mainstay of FIVA’s aims, so to see this in a country with a potentially a vast contribution to make to the preservation of our automotive heritage is very encouraging.”
Concluded Gui’an Zong, President of the Classic Vehicle Union of China, “The Hainan Conference has had a huge impact on the Chinese classic car industry. We have spent much time discussing matters with governments and officials across China and we have reason to believe that the spring of China’s classic car industry is approaching. Working with FIVA, we hope to promote the rapid development of China’s classic car industry.”