BEIJING, Feb. 17 -- Domestic auto production rose 52 percent in January to 391,600 units from a year earlier while car sales jumped 73 percent to 418,900 units, Xinhua reported Thursday, citing an industry group's data.

    However, January's car production was 4 percent lower than December and sales fell 8 percent from the previous month, the report said, citing data from the China Association of Automobile Manufacturers.

    The report didn't provide the previous months' figures for comparison.

    January's numbers are traditionally lower than those of December, when automakers tend to boost production and sales to meet their full-year targets.

    January also had fewer working days this year as the weeklong Chinese New Year holiday, which started Jan. 29.

    Domestic total vehicle production in January rose 28 percent from the same month last year to 521,600 units, though it fell 7 percent from December last year. Vehicle sales totaled 530,100 units, a 45 percent rise from January last year but a fall of 15 percent from December, the report said.

    Domestic commercial vehicle production fell 13 percent year on year and 16 percent month on month to 130,000 units in January. Sales of commercial vehicle also declined by 10 percent from January last year and by 33 percent from December to 111,100 units, according to the report.

    (Source: Shenzhen Daily/Agencies)