Toyota joint ventures in China sold around 51,900 vehicles in February, up 43.1% year on year.

That followed an 18.1% year on year increase in January and a 19.4% rise in December, reflecting a gradual recovery in sales following a slump due to anti-Japan sentiment surrounding a territorial dispute between China and Japan late in 2012, Reuters reported.

Sales in the first two months of the year rose 26.4% to 137,500 cars.

Toyota, which has joint ventures with FAW and Guangzhou Automobile, plans to boost China sales almost 20% to 1.1m cars this year.