China sets timetable for additional changes

China has set a timetable to reform government car use in state-owned public institutions and enterprises to reduce fiscal expenses.

State-owned public institutions must stop the use of general-purpose government cars by mid-2016. But they can retain vehicles for emergency use, telecommunications and other special purposes.

State-owned enterprises must register their public cars and keep records of the use of each vehicle. Business-related vehicles must have a displacement of  under 1.8 litres and their prices must be below 180,000 yuan. The reforms announced Wednesday are expected to be implemented as soon as June.

China started to reform the use of government cars in July 2014 with an aim to cut unnecessary expenses and promote thrift. The country completed reforms in government departments in September 2015, revoking the use of about four thousand vehicles that were later sold to the public.