Gasgoo.com (Shanghai July 14) - Volvo's Chinese sales exceeded 21,000 vehicles in the first half of the year, a rise of 36 percent, auto.sina.com.cn reported today. Volvo's Chinese sales have helped the manufacturer reach global growth of 20 percent. The country is now the manufacturer's third largest market, following the US and Volvo's home country of Sweden.

The XC60 crossover SUV (pictured above) was the manufacturer's best selling vehicle for the period, while the brand new S60 sedan (pictured below) also made a strong showing. 

Volvo has opened 11 new dealers in the country since the start of the year. The manufacturer currently has 117 dealers in its network covering 83 cities.