The first vehicles under a "parallel import" plan in line with the latest national standards for emissions, cleared customs procedures in the Tianjin Port Free Trade Zone on Wednesday and will soon move the needle in the Chinese market.

Parallel import allows auto dealers to purchase vehicles directly in foreign markets and then sell them to customers in China. The first shipment includes Mercedes-Benz GLS450s.

Foreign luxury automakers including Mercedes-Benz, BMW and Land Rover have announced they are undergoing experimental protection experiments in a bid to meet the National VI standards in China and speed up their efforts to reach into the Chinese market.