BEIJING - China exported a total of 504,000 automobiles in April, marking a significant year-on-year growth of 34 percent, data from the China Association of Automobile Manufacturers showed Saturday.

In terms of vehicle type, passenger cars accounted for the lion's share of the exports, with 429,000 units shipped internationally, marking a 1.2 percent increase from the previous month and a substantial year-on-year surge of 35.9 percent.

On the other hand, commercial vehicle exports exhibited a slight dip of 4.2 percent from the previous month but managed to achieve a commendable year-on-year increase of 24 percent, with 74,000 units exported.

The cumulative export figures for the first four months of the year are equally impressive. With a total of 1.827 million units exported, the auto industry has seen a year-on-year rise of 33.4 percent.

Passenger cars continue to lead the charge with 1.539 million units exported, marking a 34.8 percent increase over the same period last year. Commercial vehicles also contributed to the growth, with 288,000 units exported, up 26.5 percent year-on-year.

China exported 4.91 million vehicles in 2023 and is expected to emerge as the world's largest auto exporter.

The country's auto exports grew by 57.9 percent year-on-year last year, with new energy vehicle exports surging 77.6 percent to 1.2 million units.