On June 18, 2026, China’s Ministry of Commerce, together with eight other central departments, released the Notice on Several Measures to Cultivate and Expand Consumption in the Automotive Aftermarket (hereinafter referred to as the “Notice”), outlining concrete measures to expand and revitalize the country’s automotive aftermarket. The Notice aims to dismantle unreasonable restrictions, foster new business models, and meet the growing diversity of consumer automotive demands by focusing on six key areas, including vehicle modification, recreational vehicle (RV) camping, traditional classic vehicles, repair and insurance services, motorsports, and car rental services.

Regarding vehicle modification, a tiered management system will be established with a clear list of permitted projects, while the creation of a new sub-committee under the SAC/TC 114 (road vehicle) is being studied to review and prioritize a list of standards to be developed or revised, with a number of national standards to be fast-tracked. Authorities will also study and refine the China Compulsory Certification (CCC) certification framework for components, with strengthened oversight on product quality, safety, and environmental performance. The Notice encourages technical exchanges between racing organizations and civilian modification firms, steps up training of specialized professionals, and optimizes compulsory and commercial insurance services to better support the sector.

For RV camping, the Notice seeks to optimize on-road permit policies and simplify land-use approvals for campsites, while urging local authorities to build high-standard, multifunctional RV parks along scenic routes and in suburban areas, equipped with maintenance, power and water supplies, medical rescue, as well as catering and accommodation facilities. The Notice also calls for, where conditions permit, the designation of dedicated parking spaces for both self-propelled and towable RVs in newly built or renovated public lots, and supports the development of industrial clusters for RV production, with incentives for companies to develop green, smart, and age-friendly models.

Turning to traditional historical vehicles, the Notice introduces detailed measures based on the national standard GB/T 45194-2024 General requirements for traditional historical vehicles, allowing pilot cities to trial cross-border trade, exhibitions, and limited on-road driving of vehicles, while promoting classic car-themed events and supporting restoration and auction services.

The repair and insurance sector also receives significant attention, with efforts to improve standards for new-energy vehicles (NEV) and a mandate that manufacturers cannot restrict consumers’ choice of independent repair shops for household vehicles, nor use such choices to refuse statutory warranty liabilities. Both NEV manufacturers and battery suppliers are guided to open up repair technology licensing, encouraging repair over replacement. Insurance reforms include “basic-plus-variable” combination packages and exploration of a “vehicle-battery-separated” model for electric cars.

On motorsports, the Notice aims to build a multi-tiered racing ecosystem, improve event service management, cultivate new consumption scenarios, and strengthen talent development for the sector. In car rental, the policy encourages brand building, chain operations, and scaling up of rental businesses, while supporting innovative service models such as cross-city returns, alongside insurance product innovation and improved coverage to lower user costs.

This Notice sends a positive signal of opening and regulatory clarity for foreign stakeholders. While the real impact will depend on how these measures are implemented at the local level, the direction is clear: the aftermarket is expected to grow and become more structured, offering new opportunities for those ready to adapt to China’s evolving automotive landscape.