Ford's Commitment to China

(Dearborn, Michigan) Ford Motor Co. is moving to catch up with General Motors, which sells more cars in China than in the United States.

Consequently, construction will soon start on a $350 million transmission plant.

The company said Thursday that the factory in Chongqing in southwest China will be able to build 400,000 six-speed automatic transmissions. It will make them for Changan Ford Mazda Automobile Limited, the Chinese joint venture.

Ford is also constructing a $500 million engine plant in the same location. The number of union jobs being created hasn't been reported.