BEIJING - China's auto sales rose 13.7 percent year-on-year to 16.56 million units in the first eight months of 2021, data from the China Association of Automobile Manufacturers showed Friday.

Sales of passenger vehicles increased 16 percent year-on-year to 13.11 million units between January and August.

In August alone, auto sales totaled nearly 1.8 million units, down 17.8 percent year-on-year.