GM Sales in China Jump 21%

General Motors Co. and its joint venture partners sold 231,200 passenger and light commercial vehicles in China last month compared with 190,700 units in May 2011. Last month's volume set a company record for May.

The big gains came at minivehicle joint venture SAIC-GM-Wuling, which boosted sales 36% to 127,700 units in May. Volume was flat at 3,800 units at the FAW-GM light truck venture.

Demand for cars from GM's venture with SAIC Motor Corp. rose 7% to 99,100 units, buoyed by a 13% increase in Chevrolet volume. Sales fell 1% to 51,400 units at Buick and 2% to 2,200 units at Cadillac.

China, which is usually GM's largest national market, last month lagged the U.S., where the company sold 245,300 vehicles.

In the first five months of this year, GM sales in China rose 12% to 1.2 million vehicles, a record high for the period.