WiththefigureofprivatecarownershipinChinaincreasingeveryyear(30millionin2009),it'sworthtakingalookatwhoisactuallybuyingthesecars.China's364,000millionairescanbecountedontoownatleastseveraleach;themodestmillionaireswithonlyonecarcompensatedbythecollectionsofmensuchasWangChuanfu,China'srichestmanandanimportantfigureintheautomotiveindustry.Theremaining29millionorsoisafigurefirmlyinthehandsoftheup-and-comingmiddleclass.CarownershipisasmuchasymbolofstatusandwealthinChinaasitisinanydevelopingcountry.Thisideaisreflectedonthestreets:eventhoughChinesetrafficlawsareasclearandstrictastheyareinEuropeortheUS,pedestriansandcyclistsoftenfindthemselvesatthebottomofthefoodchain.Fortheyoungergenerationslivinginthecities,itissafetoassumethatthosewhocanaffordtobuyacarwilldoso.Sowhatiskeepingfiguresrelativelylow?30Millioncarsonapopulationof1.3billionisnotalotbyanyone'sstandards.

　　Partofthereasonisfoundedinnuance.Privatecarownershipreferstotheindividualsthatpurchaseandownacarintheirownname,sotheycandrivetoworkortaketheirkidstoschool.ButtherearefarmorecarsinChinathanjust30million.China'sstate-runnewsagencyXinhuahaspublishedfiguresstatingthereareover160millionpeoplelicensedtodrivecarsnationwide.Thisis,ofcourse,includingthemillionsoftaxi,bus,andtruckdriversthatmakeupalargepartofthetrafficanywhereinChina.Yetthereisalsoasignificantportionthatcanbeattributedtopeopledrivingcompanycarsorsharedownership.MostsmallbusinessesinChina,especiallyrestaurantsandshops,relyonsupplyfromoutsidethecitieswheretheircustomerbaseislocated.However,atruckisoftentimesmorethanthesebusinessesneedandsotheyemployasinglevan.InthemoreremoteareasofinlandChina,thereisoftennostate-runpublictransportthatconnectsthemanyvillagesdottingthemountainsandcountrysidewiththerestofthecountry.Inthesesituations,groupsofvillagersorentrepreneurialindividualswilloftenpooltheirmoneyandpurchaseavantomakethetriponceortwiceaday.Additionally,asanyonewhohasevervisitedknows,theamountofsmallbusinessesinChinaisstaggering,withnearlyeveryroadsidebuildingashopfront.Withsomany'laoban',bosses,thedistinctionbetweenprivateandcompanycarownershipissometimesblurryatbest.

　　Thatgoesalongwaytowardsexplainingthenumbers.Whathasreallypeggedthenumberatapprox.2%ofpeopleinChinaowningacaristhefactthatevenifsomeonecanaffordacar,itissimplynotthateasytoactuallyobtaintherighttodriveit.Apartfromgettingadriver'slicense,theprocedureofgettingalicenseplateforyourcarinChinacanrequirepainstakingamountsoftime,effort,andmoney.IncitieslikeShanghai,alreadycongestedwithtrafficoneventhebestofdays,obtainingalicenseplatecancostasmuchasyourcardidandisoftennothingmorethanalottery,withhundredsofpeoplevyingforafewavailableplates.ThedistributionoflicenseplatesisregulatedonaprovinciallevelandsopricesandrequirementsdifferthrougoutChina,butsodoesthelocaltrafficpolice'stoleranceof'outside'plates.Therearerulesprohibitingdriverswithnon-locallicenseplatestoentercertainareasofcitieswithinpeaktimesorevenatall.

　　CarownershipinChinaiscertainlyincreasing,b