China has 176.5 million motor vehicles, 188.8 million drivers

Beijing, July 4 (ANI): With more than 176.5 million motor vehicles in the country, a whopping 14 percent of Chinese nationals have obtained a driving licence, the Chinese Ministry of Public Security has revealed.

According to the ministry, over 188.8 million Chinese have learnt driving by the end of June.

More than eight million people learned to drive in the past six months, a 9.51 percent increase over the same period last year, China Daily reports.

Among the country's drivers, more than 129 million, or nearly 70 percent of the total, are motor car drivers, the ministry said on Friday.

The number of motor vehicles in the country increased by 3.92 percent in the last six months compared with the end of 2008, and the percentage is slightly higher than that of the same period of last year.

Stimulated by the country's tax reduction policy for small-displacement cars and favorable motor vehicle purchasing policy for rural residents, the sale of small passenger cars and cargo vehicles saw an increase of more than12 percent and more than 7.5 percent, respectively, the ministry said.

Private motor vehicles accounted for nearly 77 percent of the total, a 4.65 percent increase over 2008, it added. (ANI)