Toyota has high hopes for 2006

Despite a lagging car market, Toyota's China operation predicts sales to rise by a third next year, Reuters reported. "Sales this year are expected to reach 153,000 units, and we are aiming for over 200,000 units in 2006," said Dong Haiyang, vice president of FAW Toyota Motor Sales. State statistics record car sale growth up 17.9% in China in the first 10 months of this year compared with 2004 when it slipped to 15% growth after a near 100% increase in 2003.