US Auto Market Drops to #2 in World

BEIJING (AP) -- China overtook the United States as the biggest auto market in 2009 and automakers should see more strong growth this year, an industry group reported Friday.
Boosted by Beijing's stimulus, 2009 passenger car sales soared to 10.3 million and total vehicle sales are estimated at 13.6 million, the China Passenger Car Association said. That represents growth of about 45 percent from 2008.
"This is even better than anyone expected," the group's general secretary, Rao Da, said at a news conference in Shanghai.
By contrast, U.S. sales of cars and light trucks plunged 21 percent in 2009 to 10.4 million as a shaky economy kept buyers away from showrooms. It was the first time any country bought more cars than Americans.....

Note: Cash for Clunkers was used in the sale of 700,000 automobiles in the US for 2009.

Note: US Auto Sales dropped 21% for 2009.

Note: US Auto Sales were higher than China the last 2 months of 2009.

This represents a growing Chinese economy whose labor force drawfs the US in sheer numbers of people and a continuing recovery struggle for the US economy.

China Workforce = 807.3 million workers
European Union = 224.4 million workers
USA = 154.3 million workers
US Workforce =