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.

Geely employees work on an assembly line in Linhai, Zhejiang province. (Photo: Xinhua)

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.