China's Auto Maintenance and Repair Trade Association, with 53 local associations, called on its branches across China on Monday to establish credibility.

As the International Day for Protecting Consumers' Rights approaches, China's auto maintenance and repair trade decided to make March the "month for good quality of auto maintenance and repair." It is the third year that such an activity has been carried out nationwide.

The sector, together with auto maintenance and repair equipment manufacturing, are described as a "rising sun" industry as more and more people buy their own vehicles.

By the end of 2004, China had more than 200,000 auto maintenance and repair businesses. They include about 10,000 first-class enterprises, about 50,000 second-class enterprises, and the others are third-class enterprises, together employing more than 2.4 million people.

However, according to China Consumers' Association, this industry also gets the most complaints from consumers. They say the service quality is not good and the charges too high.

Kang Wenzhong, president of the China's Auto Maintenance and Repair Trade Association, said industry lapses are due in part to large amount of employees not being well educated.

He said he hoped the companies run an honest business and buildup a good reputation.

"The association will choose some good companies and award prize for them at the end of this year," Kang said.

(Xinhua News Agency March 1, 2005)