China's automobile sales may hit an all-time high in March and help the country to beat the US in automobile sales during the first quarter, a key official from the national planning body said yesterday.

"The 14 major automakers sold 1,026 million vehicles in China last month, which account for 90 to 91 percent of the total market," said Chen Bin, director general of the Department of Industry at the National Development and Reform Commission, during a shipbuilding industry forum in Beijing yesterday.

The total sales will likely overtake the monthly sales record of 1.059 million units in March 2008.