The Mazda 3 has entered production at the Changan Ford plant in Chongqing, Sina reports. The new model will appear in dealerships set up by Mazda and FAW starting in the end of March. In May, the Changan Ford plant in Chongqing will increase its annual production capacity from 150,000 to 200,000 vehicles, a portion of which will be devoted to Mazda 3 production. A separate facility jointly developed in Nanjing by Mazda, Changan, and Ford, will enter production in early 2007, with an annual production of up to 160,000 vehicles in its early stages. Mazda sold 133,778 vehicles in China last year, up 51% from the year before, the fourth year in a row that growth has outpaced the market. The company predicts growth of more than 10% this year, and hopes to bring production and sales to 300,000 by 2010.Separately, a newly expanded Dongfeng Honda plant in Wuhan with an annual production capacity of 120,000 vehicles was opened yesterday, China Business News reports. The facility was improved from its original 30,000 vehicle capacity. Manufacture of the new Civic will start shortly. Dongfeng Honda also started operations at its new engine plant in Wuhan, where it will be moving production of the CR-V engine from Guangzhou. Dongfeng Honda also formally separated its sales operations from the network run by Guangzhou Honda; it has 70 locations at present, with plans to expand to 140 by the end of the year.Link: http://news.phoenixtv.com/phoenixtv/83886187374182400/20060227/753111.shtmlhttp://biz.163.com/06/0227/05/2AUN3OF600020QEN.html