Volkswagen China chief expects China's passenger car market to decline by 20% in 2026

BEIJING, Sept 22 (Reuters) - China's passenger car market is expected to decline by about 20% in 2026, Volkswagen's top executive in China Ralf Brandstaetter said on Tuesday.

His comments come as the German auto giant battles a deepening crisis in its largest market weighed down by falling deliveries and slimmer profit margins.

The current contraction in the market in China was equivalent to the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic, Brandstaetter told an industry summit.

Sales of China's domestic car market fell for the eleventh month in a row in August, though the country's car exports stayed robust the same month.

(Reporting by Ju-min Park; Editing by Emelia Sithole-Matarise and Louise Heavens)