At noon on July 30, Russian car dealers Ivan and Dimi had just stepped off the plane and dragged their suitcases straight to the used car export base of China (Chongqing, Banan). Without time to cope with the jet lag, the two set up their mobile phones and turned on the live broadcast: Ivan sat in the cab of a second-hand Audi, holding the steering wheel and introducing the interior and kilometers in Russian; Dimi held the equipment around the car to shoot, and the lens swept across the paint, tires and trunk. The bullet screen in the live broadcast room rolled rapidly, and consumers as far away as Moscow successively asked about the displacement, price, and whether it could be shipped to designated cities.

▲ Russian car dealers are conducting live broadcasts at the used car export base in China (Chongqing·Banan)

From noon to evening, the cross-border live broadcast lasted nearly six hours, and three used cars were sold-this was just an ordinary scene at the Banan base. Base data shows that in the first half of this year, about 1000 used cars have been exported here, with sales reaching 120 million yuan, a year-on-year increase of 70%. It is expected to exceed 2000 vehicles for the whole year, and sales are expected to reach 250 million yuan.

In sharp contrast to the popularity of the Banan base, many used car exporting companies in Chongqing and even across the country are experiencing a "cold wave"-nearly half of the used car dealers engaged in exporting have been forced to withdraw from the market. Exports are growing, but companies are decreasing. What is happening behind this seemingly contradictory phenomenon?

For several consecutive days, reporters walked into China (Chongqing Banan) used car export base to find answers from the front line.

Hot: 3 cars sold in 6 hours, 5 cars sold in 2 days

Russian car dealers come to Chongqing live broadcast with goods into normal

At about 10:00 a.m. on July 31, Dura, a Russian employee of the base, had just finished processing a batch of export declarations when a new message popped up on the computer-Russian St. Petersburg car dealers came to consult again. Since about 5 a.m., the other party has been asking for vehicle information. The two chatted intermittently for a full five hours, and finally finalized a Nissan Toulo that has only been used for about a year. "The car payment will be in place tomorrow, and we will go through the formalities for export, and the China-Europe freight trains will be direct." Dura said.

Such cross-border docking is the norm at the base. Walking into the office, there were no ringing telephone rings one after another, only keyboard tapping and low conversations intertwined-almost all of the more than 20 employees in charge of overseas business were buried between computer screens and mobile phones. They are both vehicle salesmen and export "stewards": they must not only know the condition of the vehicle well, but also help customers calculate tariffs and freight, and follow up on the progress of customs declaration.

"From test reports to preparation videos, from customs declaration cycles to schedule timeliness, every link must be accurately connected." Liao Chenglong, head of the base and director of the international sales center of Chongqing City Huanyu Automobile Sales Co., Ltd., said,"Our employees must understand cars, sales, foreign languages, and foreign trade policies."

At about 11 a.m. on July 31, Ivan and Dimi came to the Banan base again. "There are hundreds of fans in the fan group. Some fans couldn't find the car they wanted yesterday. Everyone has been urging us to play another game." Dimi said that they took root in Chongqing in selecting cars and valued Chongqing's complete automobile industry chain-leading automobile companies such as Chang 'an and Celis gather here to form a complete industrial system from research and development to vehicle maintenance. During two consecutive days of live broadcasts, they sold 5 cars.

▲ Employees of China (Chongqing·Banan) used car export base are conducting overseas live broadcasts

Since the beginning of this year, Ivan and Dimi have come to the Banan base for live broadcasts for the seventh time. They come to Chongqing two or three days a month to sell used cars through live broadcasts. "Usually through social software, the base organizes whatever car customers need." Dimi said.

▲ Russian car dealers are conducting live broadcasts at the used car export base in China (Chongqing·Banan)

The base's live broadcast territory goes far beyond Russia, but also covers markets such as Central Asia and Africa. "In April this year, African car dealers came to the base to broadcast live broadcasts and placed orders directly when they were optimistic about the car condition and price." Liao Chenglong said.

Cold: Exports of 10 million yuan dropped to zero

Many export companies in Chongqing have moved to China

In contrast to the excitement of the Banan base, some used car export companies in Chongqing are experiencing difficult times.

An automotive technology company in Tongnan will export dozens of used cars to Central Asia in 2022 and hundreds in 2025, accumulating rich experience. But by 2026, the company has completely abandoned its export business and turned to the domestic used car market. "The policy has changed and the company does not have enough capital turnover." The relevant person in charge of the company spoke bluntly.

A famous car company located in Chongqing Western International Automobile City, focusing on high-end used cars. In the first half of this year, the company's second-hand car sales were approximately 50 million yuan, mainly from the domestic market. "In the first half of last year, there were still tens of millions of yuan in exports of high-end used cars, and this year it is almost zero." The person in charge of the company said that policy changes blocked the export of high-end used cars, and it was forced to switch to the domestic market to barely maintain the sales scale.

The policy in the mouth of car dealers stems from the provisions of the "Notice on Further Strengthening the Export Management of Used Vehicles" jointly issued by the Ministry of Commerce and other four departments in November 2025: Starting from January 1, 2026, the application for export registration for vehicles with a registration date of less than 180 days must submit the "After-Sales Maintenance Service Confirmation Form" issued by the production enterprise, otherwise no export license will be issued. This policy directly stops the "zero-kilometer second-hand car"-that is, the gray operation of licensing under the name of a new car and then exporting it as a second-hand car.

Data from the China Automobile Dealers Association shows that after the implementation of the new policy, nearly half of used car dealers engaged in exporting were forced to withdraw from the market. Some experts predict that the number of such car dealers will be reduced by at least half in 2026. "There are definitely many people who can't keep doing it. Nowadays, this industry can survive either by large companies with funds and authorization, or by people who can do it at a very low cost." said Mr. Pang, head of a used car export company in Chongqing.

After the implementation of the new policy, there are almost only two paths left for new car exports: direct sales from the main engine factory and official authorization. The 180-day limit has lengthened the waiting time for overseas customers and made most car dealers unable to maintain them due to pressure on the capital chain. "We are taking the initiative to connect with Chongqing's main engine factory. In addition to exporting purely used cars, we are also doing officially authorized overseas new car sales." Liao Chenglong said that the company has established car sales centers in Cambodia, Russia, Azerbaijan and other countries, and sells new and used cars together.

reason 

Gross profit margin plummeted from 25% to 5%

The industry bids farewell to the era of high profits

Exports are growing, but export companies are decreasing. This may seem contradictory, but it actually reveals a profound industry reshuffle. Speculators are out, and the industry is returning from barbaric growth to rational competition.

"Not only has our export scale not shrunk, but it continues to grow. This is due to our insistence on compliance operations and never making 'zero-kilometer second-hand cars'." Wang Yu, director of Chongqing Huanyu Automobile Sales Company, said that every car exported by the company is a veritable pure second-hand car. At the same time, it has gone deep into the front line of overseas markets, established a normalized docking mechanism and after-sales service system, and continued to expand the global sales network.

"In addition to the suspension of 'zero-kilometer used cars', increased competition is also constantly shrinking profit margins." Xie Deyong, head of Chongqing Zhengyu Automobile Brokerage Co., Ltd., said that profits have become thinner and capital turnover pressure has made it difficult for most car dealers to maintain their export business. Data from China Automobile Dealers Association shows that the industry's average gross profit margin has narrowed from 25% to 30% in 2021 - 2023 to 5% to 10% in 2025.

However, the other side of the market is opportunities. Data from China Automobile Dealers Association shows that in the first half of 2026, the cumulative transaction volume of used cars nationwide reached 9.7132 million, a year-on-year increase of 1.50%, and the cumulative transaction amount was 638.530 billion yuan.

The relevant person in charge of the Chongqing City Used Car Circulation Association said that pure used car exports are a blue ocean, especially in Russia, Central Asia, Africa and other regions. China's used cars have accounted for about half of the imports of Central Asia and North Asia. Only by operating in compliance with regulations and truly exporting pure used cars can companies seize this blue ocean.

depth 

400 million yuan, an increase of over 300%

How does Chongqing base run out of "acceleration"

At the Banan base, companies like Chongqing Zhengyu Automobile Brokerage Co., Ltd. are not unique. "The car we want is already on the China-Europe train, so we just wait for the notice to pick up the car." On July 31, Xie Deyong, the person in charge of the company, was communicating with Russian car dealers. He introduced that most of the company's customers come from Russia, Africa, Central Asia and other regions. They communicate, recommend, and place orders through social software, and the entire export procedures are transparent. Today, the company exports twenty to thirty used cars every month.

Behind the reassurance of enterprises is the systematic efforts of Banan District from top-level design to service implementation. Banan District will include "optimizing the brand of used car export bases" in the 2026 government work report, build a "1+N" policy guarantee system, and provide an annual financial reward of 400,000 yuan to base operators. On the service side, Banan District has installed the city's first social service station for the export of used cars, realizing that vehicles "come on the same day, handle the same day, and leave the same day"; opened a "green channel" for tax refunds, reducing the tax refund cycle from several months to several days, and Class I and II export enterprises can receive the account within an average of 3 working days. At the same time, the "RCEP Chongqing Vehicle Shipping Alliance" was established to gather and cultivate 20 export companies, covering markets along the "Belt and Road" such as Central Asia, ASEAN, and Africa. In 2025, the base's second-hand car exports will exceed 400 million yuan, a year-on-year increase of more than 300%.

In Jiulongpo District, Chongqing Jiaoyun Huida Industrial Co., Ltd. is accelerating the layout of used car export business. In July 2026, Huida Company publicly recruited used car exporters at home and abroad, and plans to sell 358 Changan Yidong EV460 electric-replacement version of old taxis that are in a "transfer pending export" state. It requires partners to have Africa, The export experience in the Middle East, Southeast Asia and other regions marks that Huida Company's used car exports are moving from planning to substantial advancement.

Looking around the city, second-hand car exports have gone from a "one-point breakthrough" in Banan to a multi-point flowering. Wanzhou Comprehensive Bonded Export Distribution Center for Complete Vehicles and Auto Parts in Northeast Chongqing has been built into a bonded export distribution and distribution center for complete vehicles and auto parts, which has become an important channel for "Chongqing vehicles to go out to sea"; Shapingba District relies on Chongqing Railway Port, and Chongqing Railway Bonded Logistics Center (Type B) has become an important used car export platform.

A second-hand car starts from Chongqing and passes through the China-Europe freight train or the New Western Land-Sea Corridor to reach the Central Asian, Russia and even European markets in more than ten days. In this wave of global used car trade, Chongqing is accelerating the construction of second-hand car exports by relying on its profound automobile industry heritage, the logistics advantages of China-Europe freight trains and the New Western Land-Sea Corridor, and the pioneering explorations of Banan, Jiulongpo, Wanzhou and other districts. The new ecosystem of used car exports has injected strong impetus into the construction of inland open highlands.

Source:Upstream Finance and Economics-Chongqing Morning Post

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