"China's bus production is expected to maintain a rapid growth momentum in the next five years to come," said Luc Glorieux, secretary-general of BAAV, a non-governmental bus and coach operators union headquartered in Europe.
Considering China's growing role in the bus manufacturing business, the fifth Bus World Asia Expo would open in the east China metropolis Shanghai in March 2005, Xinhua news agency reported.
About 250 international passenger transportation carriers would meet on the occasion to discuss strategies to promote the sales and export of Chinese-made buses, maintain the competitiveness of European-made buses in the Chinese market and ensure investment returns in China's bus market among other subjects.
Beijing's 2008 Olympic Games and Shanghai's 2010 World Expo are expected to bring a large number of foreign tourists to China and Glorieux had advised Chinese manufacturers to produce buses according to international standards to facilitate foreign tourists, the report said. About 15,000 people are expected to attend the expo.