China's vehicle imports more than doubled on year in the first four months of 2003, driven by a surging domestic market for automobiles, said figures from the Ministry of Commerce.

In the January-April period, imports of whole vehicles totaled 61,100 units, or US$1.59 billion in value terms, the reports said. Both figures were more than twice the levels recorded in the same period of 2002.

Of that total, passenger car imports were 34,100 units, up 98% on year, while imports of sport utility vehicles reached 17,200 units, roughly triple the figure for the same period last year.