Hyundai Motor Group, the world’s fifth-largest automotive conglomerate, said Monday its sales in China jumped 10 percent on-year in May, fueled by strong demand for its popular models.

The conglomerate said combined sales by its flagship companies Hyundai Motor Co. and Kia Motors Corp. in the neighboring country stood at 143,121 units last month, up from 130,093 a year earlier.

The two companies sell cars through local affiliates Beijing Hyundai Motor Co. and Dongfeng Yueda Kia Automobile Co.

The total is equal to 21.4 percent of 668,579 cars sold by the two carmakers last month and makes China the single largest overseas market for the automotive group. It sold a combined 130,994 units in the United States in May.

Hyundai Motor said its sales in China stood at 91,025 units, up 10.3 percent from 82,526 sold in May of last year. Kia sales gained 9.5 percent to 52,096 from 47,567 units.

Kia sales in the United States for last month stood at 60,087 vehicles, with Hyundai’s numbers standing at 70,907 units. (Yonhap)