Chinese car buyers meet higher gas prices and new taxes.

Shanghai -- Last Saturday evening Li Ningsheng, a 47 year-old engineer, received a phone call from a close friend: "Get over to the gas station in a hurry,? he said. ?Prices go up at midnight." Mr. Li drove his Volkswagen Jetta to the closest China Oil station on the outskirts of Beijing. He got stuck behind a long line of cars, but was able to fill-up before the clock struck twelve. When Saturday turned to Sunday, gas prices climbed 10 percent to $2.19 a gallon. Li said later: "Prices were high to begin with. It's getting scary."