Try to sell anything but a small hatchback in Europe without a diesel engine and sales will be limited. But in China, barring a few SUVs and Volkswagen taxis, passenger cars are strictly petrol; only some 10,000 diesel cars were sold in 2009, according to the latest available figures.

Until 1993, China was an oil exporter, but increasing demand, partially fuelled by the rising number of cars, means it now has to import about half its needs. As diesel delivers better fuel economy than petrol, the China Association of Automobile Manufacturers says the government is to offer a subsidy of up to RMB5,000 to purchasers of diesel cars.

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