Auto sales in China rose 35.97 percent from a year earlier to 13.14 million units in the first nine months of this year, the China Association of Automobile Manufacturers (CAAM) said Tuesday.

Auto production rose 36.1 percent year on year to 13.08 million units in the same period.

China's annual production and sales of new autos are expected to surpass 17 million units respectively this year, said the CAAM.

(Xinhua News Agency October 12, 2010)