China's auto exports have seen substantial growth and are expected to reach 1 million cars by the end of the year, amid a small sales increase in the domestic market, said a senior official at the Ministry of Commerce.

China's exported cars account for only 5 percent of the global auto sales market, far less than cars from international automakers such as General Motors Co, Volkswagen AG and Toyota Motor Corp.

China's auto exports have great potential for growth, the Beijing Times quoted Zhi Luxun, deputy director of the department of machinery, electronics and high-tech industry at the commerce ministry as saying on Sept 13.

However, Chinese automakers have to improve their export industrialization processes to achieve fast-growing exports, he said.

Export industrialization means that exporters should have specific dealers, after-sales service networks, brand promotion plans, among other measures, in the destination countries.

Most Chinese automakers have no systematic export strategies and some companies have no after-sales service, he said.