In Depth: China’s Surging Auto Sales Mask an Industry in Crisis

On paper, 2025 is shaping up to be another stellar year for China’s auto industry.

In the first six months of 2025, automakers in China produced 15.62 million vehicles and sold 15.65 million, with both figures jumping more than 10% year-on-year, according to figures released by the China Association of Automobile Manufacturers (CAAM) earlier this month.