Four months ago, China’s leaders announced what seemed like a straightforward and proven plan to recharge the economy: Subsidize consumers who want to replace old cars and household appliances. Only 113,000 cars qualified for trade-in subsidies through June 25 — a blip in a country where monthly sales exceed two million cars. In 2009, the United States, Germany, France, Spain and Austria offered so-called cash for clunkers programs to revive car sales. They paid households to scrap gas guzzlers and replace them with newer cars with better fuel economy. China itself gave extensive tax cuts and subsidies for consumers to buy new cars and household appliances.

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Persons: ”, Dai Yu Locations: Jingdezhen, Jiangxi Province, China, United States, Germany, France, Spain, Austria