The Italian auto maker Fiat Auto has appointed Bob Rice, former chief representative of General Motors China, as the company's new China national manager, Fiat has said in a statement.

Rice will replace Flavio Ciappa, whose tenure of office began in 2000.

Some auto industry insiders have attributed Ciappa's departure to the weak performance of the Nanjing Fiat, a 50-50 joint venture between Fiat Auto and Yuejin Motor Group, based in the capital city of east China's Jiangsu Province.

According to Tuesday's Beijing Morning Post, the company sold 16,702 cars in the first six months of this year, 17 percent fewerthan over the same period last year. The sales of its major sedan model, Fiat Siena, fell to 1,147 units in June, 50 percent lower than the corresponding period last year.

However, officials with the Fiat Auto representative office in China denied that Ciappa's departure had anything to do with the company's sales.

"Ciappa is leaving because his contract has ended," said Huang Bingqiao, an official of the office.

Bob Rice has spent more than 20 years in Asia and has experience in various aspects of the automotive industry, according to the statement.

Source: Xinhua