About 70 percent of car parts in China are supplied by local component makers and foreign companies with plants in the country, according to the nation's Association of Automobile
Manufacturers.

Yet some parts used for engines and electronic components are mainly imported from Japan and other countries, said Cheng Xiaodong, an official with the National Development and Reform Commission, said in a telephone interview.

"Companies were not motivated to localize production of key components in China and the quake may change that if they face rising difficulties in the following months in supplying to
their China assemblers," said Cheng, who is in charge of the vehicle price monitoring arm of the state planning agency.

"China is the world's biggest vehicle market and producer and it makes sense for them to do so."

Nissan Motor Co.'s Chief Executive Officer Carlos Ghosn said 40 component suppliers in Japan remain in difficulty after the quake, complicating automakers' efforts to restart production. Denso Corp., Aisin Seiki Co., Hitachi Ltd., and others parts makers suspended most or some of their production after the quake.

Japanese automakers accounted for 23 percent of car deliveries in China last year, according to the auto association.