Resource: CIAPE Secretariat

Mr. Jiang Yaoping, Vice Minister of MOFCOM, had a meeting on 8th July, 2008 with the AAIA delegation including Mrs. Kathleen Schmatz (AAIA President & CEO) and Mr. Jerry O’Pry ( AAIA Chairman) and so on. After the meeting, Mr. Jiang hosted the official signing ceremony of partnership agreement between CIAPE and AAIA.

The partnership agreement calls for Ministry of Commerce to provide an educational program at AAPEX on how to sell to the Chinese aftermarket. The program will include information on the Chinese aftermarket, government regulations and business practices.

One-on-one business meetings will match prominent Chinese companies interested in meeting leading AAIA manufacturer and supplier members to discuss business ventures in China to serve that aftermarket. This program will be available at no charge to exhibiting AAIA member companies, and also available to non-exhibiting member companies for a fee.

AAIA will promote the China International Auto Parts Expo in Beijing on Nov. 12 to 15 to its members. AAIA will present a symposium at CIAPE on the U.S. aftermarket and AAIA.

Mr. Jiang pointed out that China has already become the world’s 3rd largest automaker, the 2nd largest consumer and the biggest automobile potential market. The automobile and aftermarket industries of China and America are highly structurally complementary; therefore, there exist huge cooperative opportunities for both sides in this field.

Mr. Jiang expressed that CIAPE aims at promoting the communication and cooperation in the automobile as well as aftermarket industries of both China and the world, and the Chinese government supports AAIA’s entry into the Chinese market. It is expected that a long-term strategic cooperative partnership between both sides will be established and the platform of CIAPE will be an important bridge for AAIA members to acquire Chinese market information, seek for trade partners, and develop cooperation in the aftermarket industry of China and America.   

Mrs. Kathleen Schmatz said, “The Chinese aftermarket maintains a rapid development thanks to China's policy of opening to the outside world. AAIA and its members are attaching great importance to the Chinese market and are proudly launching our cooperation with CIAPE. We have been very careful in choosing partner in China, and are looking forward to establishing long-term cooperation with CIAPE for our long-term and stable development in China.”

“Our new partnership with the Ministry of Commerce is one more step in responding to our members’ interests in the Chinese aftermarket,” Mrs. Schmatz said, “The U.S. aftermarket technology, brands, products and delivery system are second to none in the world, and we want to give our member companies who want to sell in Asia the contacts, knowledge and assistance they need.”

The strategic cooperation between CIAPE and AAIA is another grand breakthrough after CIAPE’s cooperation with COMEXPOSIUM and SAE International, which will bring great benefits to China's automobile and aftermarket.

Up to now, CIAPE has partnered with the organizer of EQUIP AUTO as well as the organizer of AAPEX for strategic development.

About AAIA

AAIA, as the most important aftermarket association in the North American market, was formed in 1999 from the consolidation between the Automotive Parts & Accessories Association (APAA) and the Automotive Service Industry Association (ASIA).

AAIA's membership is organized into segments, representing different sectors of the aftermarket, including automotive electric segment, auto international segment, automotive retail segment, automotive undercar trade organization, automotive warehouse distributors association, car care professionals network, engine repower council, heavy duty segment, national catalog managers association, paint, body & equipment segment, tool & equipment segment, and trim segment.

AAIA is a Bethesda, Md.-based association whose more than 23,000 member and affiliates manufacture, distribute and sell motor vehicle parts, accessories, service, tool, equipment, materials and supplies. Through its membership, AAIA represents more than 100,000 repair shops, parts stores and distribution outlets.