In 2004 the Chinese government issued first-ever national fuel economy standards for passenger cars.
Source: UNEP, 2008, Green Jobs: Towards decent work in a sustainable, low-carbon world

The Chinese government issued its first compulsory standards for controlling vehicle consumption, the Limits of Fuel Consumption for Passenger Cars, in 2004, and the policy became effective in 2005. For each of 16 vehicle weight classes, it establishes fuel consumption limits (ranging from 7.2 liters per 100 kilometers (km) for the lightest passenger cars to 15.5 liters per 100 km for the heaviest). In 2008, a second phase tightened the allowable limits (with a range of 6.2-13.9 liters per 100 km) and the first compulsory limits on fuel consumption of light commercial vehicles.