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| Mercedes guilty of price-fixing, say Chinese authorities | Mercedes guilty of price-fixing, say Chinese authorities |
| (35 minutes later) | |
| Carmaker Mercedes-Benz has been found guilty of manipulating the price of spare parts following an investigation by the authorities in China. | Carmaker Mercedes-Benz has been found guilty of manipulating the price of spare parts following an investigation by the authorities in China. |
| The official Xinhua News Agency reports that regulators said the luxury unit of Germany's Daimler abused its control over supplies of replacement parts. | The official Xinhua News Agency reports that regulators said the luxury unit of Germany's Daimler abused its control over supplies of replacement parts. |
| The report made no mention of the likely penalty. | The report made no mention of the likely penalty. |
| BMW, Audi and Chrysler are also facing sanctions as part of an anti-monopoly crackdown by the authorities. | BMW, Audi and Chrysler are also facing sanctions as part of an anti-monopoly crackdown by the authorities. |
| Overseas companies in the pharmaceuticals, technology and food sector have also faced investigation in recent months. | Overseas companies in the pharmaceuticals, technology and food sector have also faced investigation in recent months. |
| Last week, the European Chamber of Commerce in China said its members were "increasingly considering the question" of whether foreign companies were being disproportionately targeted. | Last week, the European Chamber of Commerce in China said its members were "increasingly considering the question" of whether foreign companies were being disproportionately targeted. |
| Scrutiny | Scrutiny |
| According to the Xinhua report, investigators from the anti-monopoly bureau of the eastern province of Jiangsu found prices were so high that purchasing the parts used to make one Mercedes C-class car would cost the equivalent of buying 12 vehicles. | According to the Xinhua report, investigators from the anti-monopoly bureau of the eastern province of Jiangsu found prices were so high that purchasing the parts used to make one Mercedes C-class car would cost the equivalent of buying 12 vehicles. |
| "Mercedes-Benz is a typical case of vertical price fixing - that is, the use of its dominant position in after-market parts to maintain price controls," said Zhou Gao, chief of the Jiangsu's anti-monopoly unit, according to Xinhua. | "Mercedes-Benz is a typical case of vertical price fixing - that is, the use of its dominant position in after-market parts to maintain price controls," said Zhou Gao, chief of the Jiangsu's anti-monopoly unit, according to Xinhua. |
| A Daimler spokesperson said on Monday that the company was still "assisting" Chinese authorities, but was "unable to comment further on what is still an on-going matter". | |
| Toyota has said that its Lexus division is under scrutiny, and General Motors has said that its main China joint venture has responded to requests by regulators for information. | Toyota has said that its Lexus division is under scrutiny, and General Motors has said that its main China joint venture has responded to requests by regulators for information. |
| Other companies under investigation include Qualcomm, a US maker of microchips used in mobile phones, and software giant Microsoft. | Other companies under investigation include Qualcomm, a US maker of microchips used in mobile phones, and software giant Microsoft. |