BEIJING, May 28 -- Sales of commercial vehicles in China rose 8.8 percent year on year to about 1.29 million units in the first four months of the year, industry data showed.

During the period, around 1.15 million trucks were sold in the country, up 7.7 percent from the same period last year, according to the China Association of Automobile Manufacturers.

Sales of passenger commercial vehicles surged 18.7 percent year on year to 138,000 units in the same period, with coaches and light buses both registering double-digit growth.

In April alone, China's commercial vehicle sales reached 348,000 units, jumping 60.5 percent year on year.