Changchun, a major manufacturing base of China's auto industry in northeast China's Jilin Province, is expected to see its gross output value of automotive industry reach 245 billion yuan ($35.9 bn), up 21% from a year earlier, the Xinhua news agency reported Tuesday.

The FAW Bus Co. Ltd., a bus subsidiary of FAW Group, plans to build a bus manufacturing base in Changchun, headquarters of FAW. Construction of the project will kick off in April 2009 and operation is scheduled for October next year, said xinhuanet.com today.