China's auto sales and output both more than doubled in January from a year earlier to exceed 1.6 million units, a new record, the China Association of Automobile Manufacturers (CAAM) said Tuesday.

Auto sales topped 1.66 million units while output reached 1.61 million units, according to CAAM.

Although the strong growth was partly a result of last year's low January figures, the stable and comparatively fast economic growth and the government's policies to boost auto sales helped boost sales, CAAM said.

Compared with December figures, auto sales and production grew 16.83 percent and 5.04 percent respectively in January.

Passenger car sales were up 113.21 percent to 1.32 million units last month, and production was 1.24 million units, up 134 percent year on year.

Statistics from CAAM confirmed last month that China had overtaken the United States to become the world's top auto maker and market in 2009 with annual sales reaching 13.64 million units. Output reached 13.79 million units last year.

(Xinhua News Agency February 9, 2010)