General Motors started this year on a bullish note as monthly sales with its joint ventures in China hit a record high in January after underperforming in the Chinese auto market last year.

Its combined deliveries rose 12 percent from a year earlier to 348,061 units last month. The figure included 171,856 units from Shanghai GM, up 11.4 percent on year, and 172,852 units from SAIC-GM-Wuling, up 13.9 percent. Both sales figures set a new monthly record.

But sales of FAW-GM dropped 26.1 percent on an annual basis to 3,319 units.

January vehicle sales for the country will be released later this week.

China's auto market is expected to increase between 8 and 10 percent this year after sales rose 13.9 percent in 2013.

Matt Tsien, who took over as GM' new China head on January 1, said GM expects growth this year to be higher than the industry average as the automaker launches 17 new models.

GM sold more than 3 million units last year in China, an increase of 11.4 percent, and hopes to build on that momentum.

Tsien said the focus this year will be GM's line of SUVs and the Cadillac brand, both of which have large room to develop.

Cadillac vehicles recorded the biggest growth among GM's brands in China last month, with sales surging 265 percent to 5,741 units.

Tsien also said GM will enter some niche segments of China's SUV market this year.

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