Ford names former Key Safety exec Lou to head China operations

(Reuters) - Ford Motor Co. on Wednesday named former Key Safety Systems executive Jason Luo as chairman and chief executive of its China operations.

Luo would lead the carmaker's operations in Greater China and Taiwan and would report to Peter Fleet, Ford Group's president of Asia Pacific, the company said in a statement.

Ford said earlier this week it is exploring setting up a joint venture with Chinese firm Anhui Zotye Automobile Co to build electric passenger vehicles in China under a new brand, after the company reported a 7 percent drop in its vehicle sales in China for July.

(Reporting by Parikshit Mishra in Bengaluru; Editing by James Dalgleish)