The US automaker General Motors Corp. said on Wednesday that its auto sales in China in the first half of 2009 rose 38 percent from the same period last year to a record high of 841,442 units, spurred by the government stimulus package.

"Thanks to government stimulus measures on the auto industry and the rising demand in subordinate cities and rural areas, China's auto market had seen a strong growth and GM's products had been very popular," said Kevin Wale, president and managing director of GM China Group.

The company, which filed for bankruptcy protection earlier this month, saw sales surging by 75 percent year-on-year to 156,000 vehicles in May in China's market.

Its minivan joint venture Shanghai General Motors Wuling (SGMW) sold 100,258 units last month, while another venture, Shanghai GM's sales rose to 60,365 units in June, an all-time monthly record.

China had become the world's largest auto market, as both output and sales of China's domestically made automobiles in May exceeded 1.10 million units, according to the China Association of Automobile Manufacturers (CAAM).

A total of 10.2 million vehicles are expected to be sold in China this year, up 8.7 percent year on year.

The country unveiled a support package for the auto industry early this year, cutting purchase taxes for cars with small engine capacities and providing subsidies to rural purchasers.

(Xinhua News Agency July 2, 2009)