Proton Holdings is looking to China to increase its exports in the current fiscal year to the end of March 2011.

The company is targeting a 30% rise in overall car exports to 30,000 units, from around 23,000 units in the previous financial year. Managing director Datuk Syed Zainal Abidin said, "We will increase our focus on China, but we will not pass up opportunities to export to other markets, in ASEAN markets and in the Middle East."

There has been speculation in recent weeks over the potential benefits of a merger between Proton and Perodua, with the Proton Vendors Association in particularly promoting the idea of consolidating Malaysia's two main national car companies.

While the two companies share a large number of suppliers, a merger looks highly unlikely from a corporate point of view. Perodua has overtaken Proton as the largest vehicle company in Malaysia and one of its main shareholders, Toyota unit Daihatsu Motor, would unlikely back such a move.

Syed Zainal said the two companies have worked together in the past and that "there is a strong desire on the part of Proton to continue to work with Perodua. On the question of merging the two companies, that is a question for the Malaysian government to address," he further added.