"Automobile sales in China also proved resilient, rising as much as 50% in 2009 from year-earlier levels, in spite of the global slowdown.
Chinese consumers bought 10.43 million vehicles in the January-November period, less than the 12.23 million units sold in China, according to a Kyodo news report, citing statistics from Autodata Corp.
The Wall Street Journal reported Chinese sales for all of 2009 near 13 million vehicles, compared with just over 10 million in the U.S.
The reports cited higher demand from a more-affluent middle class, as well temporary government incentives."