China Auto Exports Jump as Weak Domestic Demand Pressures Carmakers

China’s auto industry leaned more heavily on foreign buyers in October as shipments abroad climbed sharply while sales at home continued to contract. The China Association of Automobile Manufacturers said on Wednesday that the country exported about 927,000 passenger vehicles in October 2026, a 62.3% increase from a year earlier. Electric vehicles and hybrids powered much of the export growth, underscoring the importance of overseas markets for Chinese carmakers. At the same time, passenger vehicle sales inside China fell 27.4% from a year earlier to about 1.7 million units, reflecting persistent weakness in the world’s largest automobile market. For the…