Taipei, Jan. 28 (CNA) Taiwanese automaker Yulon Group on Sunday denied reports that it plans to serve as the local distributor for two Chinese auto brands.
In an article published Jan. 26, tabloid news site ETtoday said Yulon — the owner of Luxgen Motors Co. — was previously rumored to have received local distribution rights for the Chinese auto brand BYD Auto.
At the Shanghai auto show in April 2023, China’s Chery Automobile Co. said it was making preparations to launch two of its international marques — Jaecoo and Omoda — in Taiwan, the report said.
Both Jaecoo and Omoda set up Facebook pages targeting the Taiwanese market last November, but neither brand has announced a local distributor, a necessary step because of Taiwanese laws barring the direct import of Chinese vehicles, the report said.
In a statement issued Sunday, Yulon flatly denied that it planned to serve as the Taiwanese distributor for BYD or Chery, calling the reports “untrue.”
Meanwhile, a Ministry of Economic Affairs official, who declined to be named, told CNA that Taiwanese law prohibits the import of fully-assembled vehicles from China, and that Yulon had already denied that it plans to distribute the brands.
Foreign auto brands seeking to enter the Taiwanese market are also required to undergo government safety inspections, and to date, no such applications have been received by the relevant agencies, the official said.
