In order to alleviate growing traffic problems, officials in Guangzhou, a major city in Guangdong province, said they would halve the number of new cars on the streets by holding license plate auctions and lotteries.
Beijing started a similar program last year, and Shanghai instituted its own license auction in 2000.
The efforts highlight a balancing act in China's big cities: Officials are trying to improve the quality of life but not drag down local economic growth.
