Auto sales of Nanning, China's southwest Guangxi Province, topped 4.3 billion yuan in the first five months of this year, up 15 percent year-on-year, said officials from Department of Statistics in Nanning Wednesday.

The government attributed the increases to stimulating measures, including tax rebate on vehicle purchase and car subsidy for rural people.

Among the total car sales, the growth rate of low-end cars is more robust, soaring 82 percent year-on-year. The growth rate of low-to-medium-end and high-end vehicle sales jumped 76 percent and 33 percent respectively.

According to the statistics, the auto sales in May alone increased 26 percent to 954 million yuan, attributing 3.8 percent to the growth of the total retail sales of consumer goods in Nanning.

Xinhua News Agency correspondents reporting from Nanning.

(XHTV July 3, 2009)