China's vehicle exports went into free fall in September, with shipments slumping 29 percent year on year to 55,600 vehicles, according to the China Association of Automobile Manufacturers.

 

Exports of passenger vehicles fell nearly 25 percent to 36,500, while shipments of commercial vehicles plunged 36 percent to 19,100.

 

In the first nine months, automotive exports dropped nearly 17 percent year on year to 553,600 vehicles. Of that number, passenger vehicle exports declined nearly 18 percent from a year earlier to 323,200 vehicles, and commercial vehicle exports decreased 1 percent to 230,400.

 

China's biggest vehicle exporters are domestic companies such as Geely, BYD, Chery and SAIC-GM-Wuling. Their primary foreign markets are emerging markets in Russia, Ukraine, South America, the Middle East and North Africa.

 

Sales in a number of these markets, notably Russia and Brazil, have been hit hard by local economic recessions and political instability.