China's BAIC has established a sales division in Mexico and started selling cars imported from China, a senior company executive said.

The company, which is a Hong Kong-listed unit of Beijing Automotive Group Co., targets to sell at least 5,000 units per year by 2018.

With the move, BAIC has joined a slate of foreign automobile manufacturers who have established operations in Northern America's southernmost nation to gain access in the United States and Latin America. The company sold its first vehicle in Mexico last month.

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Automotive News reported that BAIC is also planning to put up an assembly plant in Mexico to produce gasoline-powered cars and electric vehicles, Wei Huacheng, company's vice president, said.

According to BAIC's website, only three models will be offered in the Mexican market for now - the compact D20 (both hatchback and sedan versions) and the X25, which is a small crossover based on the D20.

However, the Chinese car manufacturer plans to expand and introduce three other models by the end of this year.

"Mexico... is a very important part [of our] long-term vision," the company wrote.

According to CCTV, BAIC Mexico is teaming up with the Mexican-owned Picacho Group, which has been behind the sales of autos such as Jaguar, Ford, and Land Rover in Mexico for three decades.

BAIC Automotive is working to convince Mexican consumers that "made in China" products now signifies high quality.

So far, BAIC is the only Chinese automobile manufacturer marketing vehicles in Mexico as China's FAW withdrew its attempt to gamble on the Mexican market in 2009.

Tagschina, BAIC Auto, imported cars, Wei Huacheng, Beijing Automotive Group