China Turns Renault Vehicles Away

PARIS – China blocks importation of 160 cars shipped from France for failure to meet Chinese rules on safety.

Some mechanical parts had rusted during the transport and storage of the vehicles, says a Renault spokeswoman, which led to the decision by port authorities to forbid entry.

The cars were Lagunas, Meganes and Scenics built in French factories. The Renault Koleos, built in South Korea at Renault Samsung Motors Inc., is not affected.

The statement on the decision from the AQSIQ, the general administration of quality supervision, inspection and quarantine in China, says the Renaults represented a “serious risk” for safety.

The agency says it has “on several occasions identified lots of vehicles fabricated by the French company Renault…that do not respect the obligatory norms in our country and the corresponding technical regulations.”

A Renault manager involved in Chinese sales says the event was “ephemeral” and the issue would be over soon. Renault exports only several thousand vehicles a year to China.

Tianshu Xin, an analyst for IHS Global Insight, was not sympathetic with Renault’s plight. “Renault needs China more than China needs Renault,” he says. “Renault missed its chance to be in China (as a manufacturer). Now it’s too late.”

However, Xin says, the safety aspect cited by the Chinese authority probably was not the only reason behind the decision.

Megane among models turned away at border.

China has been angry over French support for the Dalai Lama, Tibet’s spiritual leader in exile. Banning the importation of 160 French-made cars makes a public point while not endangering economic relations between the countries.

In addition, Chinese officials and others are miffed at German crash-test authorities who gave a Chinese car from Brilliance Auto Group zero stars in a recent test.

Although the car rated three stars in its passive safety measurements, it does not have electronic stability control, so the German club running the test decided to strip the car of all its points. ESC soon will be required in Europe.

Banning the Renaults because of rusted shock absorbers could be interpreted as support for the Brilliance case.