China's auto export in 2009 dropped 46 percent year-on-year due to the global downturn, according to the China Association of Automobile Manufacturers (CAAM) Wednesday.

The CAAM said China exported a total of?369,600 autos in 2009, valued at US$5.19 billion, both down 46 percent from 2008, citing figures from the General Administration of Customs.

Thanks to the burgeoning domestic market, China imported 420,800 autos in 2009, up 3 percent from 2008. Minibus import saw the sharpest rise to reach 164,800 units, a surge of 45 percent year-on-year, the CAAM said.

China's auto sales and output both more than doubled in January 2010 from a year earlier to exceed 1.6 million units, a new record high, the CAAM said Tuesday.

China had overtaken the United States as the world's top automaker and market in 2009, with annual sales reaching 13.64 million units, according to the CAAM last month.