China's sedan exports soared 80.9 percent year on year to 51,700 units in the first five months of 2007, according to figures from the China Association of Automobile Manufacturers.

The country's auto imports and exports reached US$23.8 billion in the first five months, with imports up 21 percent and exports up 39.9 percent from a year earlier.

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China imported 108,000 vehicles in the first five months, an increase of 25.3 percent, with imports of sedans up 34 percent, cross-country vehicles up 21 percent and minibuses up three percent.

In the first five months, the country's auto output grew 21.3 percent to 3.72 million units, while sales rose 22 percent to 3.65 million.

The top three sedan producers were FAW Volkswagen, Shanghai Volkswagen and Shanghai GM, with Chery, the flag-bearer of Chinese indigenous brands, maintaining its fourth place.

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