BEIJING, Jan. 13 -- China's auto sector hit a new milestone in 2024, with both production and sales exceeding 31 million units, industry data showed on Monday.

Total auto output reached 31.282 million units last year, up 3.7 percent compared with the 2023 level, while sales rose 4.5 percent year on year to top 31.436 million units, according to the China Association of Automobile Manufacturers (CAAM).

New energy vehicles posted record performance, with both production and sales exceeding 10 million units for the first time and accounting for over 40 percent of total sales, according to the CAAM.

Last year, the country exported 5.859 million vehicles, surging 19.3 percent year on year, the data showed.