Workers assemble pickup trucks at a factory of Great Wall Motors in Yongchuan, Chongqing, in Aug 2021. (Photo: IC)

BEIJING, May 13 (Xinhua) -- China's pickup truck market saw steady expansion in April with demand for the vehicles gradually improving since the start of this year, driving up sales both at home and broad, industry data showed.

Sales of pickup trucks in China came in at 42,000 units last month, jumping 24.5 percent year on year and remaining at the medium-high level of the past five years, according to the China Passenger Car Association.

Output of pickup trucks logged a yearly increase of 22 percent in April, while exports grew 16.5 percent from a year earlier.

A sharp increase in overseas demand helped to sustain growth of China's pickup truck exports, the association said.

Domestically, sales of pickup trucks remained stable in China's counties and townships, effectively offsetting the contraction of sales in big cities, the association said.

In the first four months of 2023, China's total pickup truck sales reached 164,000 units, edging down 0.5 percent year on year.