First Automotive Works (FAW) is to manufacture the high-end Mazda 9 car in the eastern Chinese city of Qingdao through a local auto subsidiary set up last year with Chinese firm Etsong Tobacco Group, Access Asia reported.


FAW holds a 60% stake in the business and is aiming for an annual production capacity of 150,000 initially, with a new factory that will import relevant production facilities from Japan. Mazda already licenses units of FAW to make the Mazda 6 and 323 models in northern China and the southern island of Hainan.