China will replace Germany this year as the world's third largest maker of cars and vans, according to a report of market research released Tuesday.

China will produce about 5.9 million light vehicles this year, outpacing Germany's 5.38 million, according to figures released by Polk Marketing Systems, a key car market research and consulting company based in the German city of Essen.

The capacity of both countries is so far well behind United States (11 million) and Japan (10.63 million), but Polk said China would reach the level of 10 million within a decade.

The Polk study indicates worldwide car and van production this year would reach a record of more than 64 million.

(Xinhua News Agency September 20, 2006)