At a car show that ended on August 14 in Changchun, capital of northeast China's Jilin Province, half the manufacturers taking part highlighted small-sized energy-saving cars, with many exhibiting low-emission cars.

In contrast, according to a Xinhua News Agency report on August 8, 84 cities across China have introduced restrictions on small vehicles.

It said that in Beijing, if your car's engine volume is 1.0 liter or less, you are not allowed to drive down Chang'an Boulevard or through the center of the city within the second ring road, and many drivers of 0.8-liter cars have paid 10 yuan (US$1.20) for illicit 1.1-liter markings as a result.

The National Development and Reform Commission (NDRC) has advocated the promotion of small-engined and energy-saving cars, but local policy often contradicts this.

For example, in Shanghai cars with a 1.2-liter or less engine are prohibited from using the city's viaducts.

Many cities set a specific limit to the engine volume of cars used as taxis; some even assigned models of car with large engines.

Daqing City of Heilongjiang Province stipulates that taxi engines must have a volume of more than 1.6 liters, while in Changde City of Hunan they can only be Satana and Fukang models.

(China.org.cn by Li Xiaohua, August 20, 2005)