Dongfeng Automobile Co, a light commercial vehicle maker, aims to increase its vehicle exports by more than 70 percent this year, encouraged by robust demand overseas in the first half.

Dongfeng Automobile, controlled by Dongfeng Motor Co, a manufacturing venture between China's third-largest automaker Dongfeng Motor Group Co and Nissan Motor, aims to sell 12,000 vehicles overseas this year, up from 7,008 units in 2007, it said in a statement on its website on Friday.

Its vehicle exports, mostly to the Middle East, Southeast Asia and South America, came to 8,017 units in the January-to-June period, up 155.6 percent from a year earlier, the statement said.

Dongfeng Automobile, which also makes sport utility vehicles and multi-purpose vehicles, runs a diesel engine venture with Cummins Inc.