China's auto market could slip to 'negative growth' this year - industry association

BEIJING (Reuters) - There are chances for "negative sales growth" this year in China's auto market, the world's largest, the automakers association said on Thursday. Shi Jianhua, Vice Secretary General of the China Association of Automobile Manufacturers (CAAM), told reporters that it's still too early to say whether there will be negative growth as the industry body studies support measures. Overall vehicle sales were flat in January-August, with 136 fewer cars being sold compared to the same period in 2014, the CAAM said. (Reporting by Winni Zhou and Jake Spring; Editing by Ian Geoghegan)