Television cameras are set up and journalists conduct interviews as the 18th China Changchun International Auto Expo Summit Forum is held in Changchun. [Photo provided to chinadaily.com.cn]

The 18th China Changchun International Auto Expo Summit Forum was held on July 10 in Changchun – capital of Northeast China's Jilin province – during which brainstorming sessions were held and views exchanged on boosting car sales and revitalizing the economy of the region.

The one-day event was part of the 18th China (Changchun) International Auto Expo in Changchun, which kicked off on July 9 and runs for 10 days.

It attracted the participation of Diao Jianshen, vice chairman of the China Automobile Dealers Association, officials from national organizations, the management of auto companies, dealers, company executives and representatives of business associations.

Senior Ministry of Commerce official Song Yingjie gives a keynote speech at the event. [Photo provided to chinadaily.com.cn]

Senior Ministry of Commerce officials Song Yingjie and Wang Du delivered keynote speeches.

Song – who is director of the Department of Market Operation and Consumption Promotion at the ministry – said promoting the comprehensive revitalization of Northeast China was vital to overall national development. He added that promoting automobile sales was key to the economic and social development of Jilin province, where the automobile sector was a pillar industry.

Song exchanged views with the attendees on developments in the industry, on how to promote automobile sales in general and the market in Northeast China.

The ministry's Wang Du, meanwhile, outlined the overall situation for the automobile dealership sector.

Total retail sales for new cars from January to June this year hit 9.94 million cars, a year-on-year increase of 28.9 percent. From January to June, sales of new energy vehicles totaled 1 million units, soaring 218.9 percent on the previous corresponding period.

Wang analyzed the bottlenecks faced by the new car market, second-hand car transactions and the new energy market.