SECONDHAND car plates are set to be included in the city’s auction system as currently they sell privately for almost 50,000 yuan (US$8,070) more than new ones.

While new plates cannot be sold for three years, this price gap has seen motorists with license plates try to buy a new set at auction, then sell their old ones for a big profit.

Officials hope that ending this practice will increase the chances of bidders with a genuine need for a city plate being successful. Currently, demand is almost 20 times supply.