BEIJING - China's auto sales rose 8.7 percent year-on-year to 18.62 million units in the first nine months of 2021, data from the China Association of Automobile Manufacturers showed Tuesday.

Sales of passenger vehicles increased 11 percent year-on-year to 14.86 million units in the January-September period, according to the data.

In September alone, auto sales totaled about 2.07 million units, down 19.6 percent year-on-year.