China, dubbed "the world's kingdom of bicycles", is seeing an expansion of its army of car drivers.

And new drivers are pouring into driving schools to undergo training and get their full driving licenses.

Cars are replacing bicycles on Beijing's roads, indicating, some experts say, a growing economy, and rapidly developing automotive industry.

According to Yang Bao-ping, an information official with Beijing's traffic administrative bureau, by August 2003, the number of vehicles in Beijing had surpassed 2 million, 800,000 of which are private cars.

There are around 2.66 million car drivers among the 10 million permanent residents in Beijing, which means one out of 4.4 Beijingers is a car driver.

Many driving schools are opening up, and thriving under the new driving fad.

A young man who had just passed a traffic regulation course, commented, " I don't think learning driving is just a passing fad, but a required course needed by our young generation. It is a necessary demand in our modern society."
 
(Xinhua News Agency  September 13, 2003)