gm to build in china

[dock98]

BEIJING, Oct. 29 — General Motors announced Monday that it would build an advanced research center in Shanghai

to develop hybrid technology and other designs.

Jason Lee/Reuters

Rick Wagoner, General Motors’ chairman, trying out one of his company’s cars after a news conference in Beijing yesterday.

It was the latest research investment in China by a foreign automaker despite chronic problems with purloined car designs.

G.M. already has a 1,300-employee research center in Shanghai with its main Chinese joint venture partner,

the Shanghai Automotive Industry Corporation. The separate, wholly owned research center announced Monday,

for the most advanced vehicle engineering and development, could help G.M. keep greater control over new technologies

than through the joint venture.

Kevin Wale, president of General Motors’ China operations, said that the company remained

“very comfortable” with its partnership with Shanghai Automotive and that the partner’s recent introduction

of its own sedans had shown “no significant impact” on G.M. sales.

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