BEIJING - China's auto sales last month rose 12.8 percent year-on-year to 2.57 million units as the market warmed alongside government policies to spur consumption, data from an industry association showed on Tuesday.

The rise marked the fifth consecutive month of double-digit growth. Auto sales rose 17.4 percent on a monthly basis, according to the China Association of Automobile Manufacturers.

In the first three quarters, auto sales totaled to 17.12 million units, down 6.9 percent year-on-year.