In order to keep up with its rivals in China, Hyundai also has plans to establish a new research and development centre in the country.

According to a report, the centre may be located in the Economic and Technological Development Zone of Shandong's eastern city of Yantai.

Earlier in May, Hyundai Motor Group Vice Chairman Xue Rongxing had announced that the manufacturer will construct a Chinese R&D centre. Then, earlier this month, posts looking for talent to work at the 'Hyundai Motor (China) R&D centre' begun appearing on several famous employment websites. According to the post, the centre's address is in Yantai, Shandong. When contacted by telephone, sources from the company confirmed that the posts were made on behalf by Hyundai.

Meanwhile, representatives from the Yantai Investment and Employment Agency announced that preliminary work on the Hyundai R&D centre has begun in the city's Economic and Technological Development Zone. The source added that Hyundai has yet to announce when the centre will be officially established.

Hyundai's Chinese offices have yet to comment on any of the above reports.

Hyundai currently possesses five global R&D centres, located in its native South Korea, Germany, the US, India and Japan, respectively. Due to the lack of such a centre in China, the Beijing Hyundai joint venture has obtained new vehicles, such as the new ix35 and eight generation Sonata, from Europe and the US. Mr. Xue has stated his desire to see Beijing Hyundai begin exporting vehicles following establishment of the Chinese R&D centre.