This photo taken on July 3, 2023 shows China's 20 millionth new energy vehicle (NEV) produced by GAC Aion New Energy Automobile Co, Ltd. in Guangzhou, south China's Guangdong province. (PHOTO / XINHUA)

BEIJING - China's auto sales rose 11.1 percent year-on-year to nearly 4.03 million units in the first two months of this year, data from the China Association of Automobile Manufacturers showed Monday.

The country's auto output during the January-February period increased by 8.1 percent year-on-year to 3.92 million units, according to the association.

Specifically, passenger car output and sales stood at 3.36 million units and 3.45 million units, up 7.9 percent and 10.6 percent year-on-year, respectively, the data showed.

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Commercial vehicle output rose by 9 percent year-on-year to 560,000 units, while commercial vehicle sales increased by 14.1 percent year-on-year to 575,000 units.

Visitors check out a BYD sedan during an auto exhibition in Haikou, Hainan province, in September 2023. (SU BIKUN / FOR CHINA DAILY)

The new energy vehicles sector maintained fast growth momentum during the first two months. The country's NEVs output reached 1.25 million units, climbing 28.2 percent compared with a year earlier. Sales of NEVs rose 29.4 percent year-on-year to 1.21 million units.

Total auto exports amounted to 822,000 units during the period, an increase of 30.5 percent year-on-year, the data revealed.

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Auto sales reached about 1.58 million units in February alone, down 19.9 percent from the same period a year ago.