The total number of automobiles sold in the Chinese market reached more than 5.9 million in 2005, outstripping that of the Japanese market and second only to the United States.

The report said that over 5.75 million automobiles sold in China last year were produced by domestic automakers, with the number of imported vehicles standing at about 160,000 units, citing figures from the China Association of Automobile Manufacturers.

The Association forecasts that the Chinese auto market will continue growing at a rate of 10 to 15 percent in 2006.