U.S. car maker General Motors outsold Germany's biggest car maker Volkswagen's main unit in China for the first time in June after the U.S. car maker cut prices.

GM sales in China rose around five percent to 24 thousand vehicles in June, a figure that eclipsed Volkswagen in new car sales.

The increase meant China became GM's number two market worldwide this year.

Analysts says Volkswagen AG, which hacked prices by up to 11.7 percent in June to match an 11 percent cut by its U.S. rival in May, would slash prices further to try to regain a decade-old perch at the top of China's car arena.

(CRI.com July 7, 2004)