BEIJING, Aug. 10 -- China's sales of passenger cars to dealerships increased last month at the slowest pace since March 2009, according to the China Association of Automobile Manufacturers.

Sales of passenger-cars to dealers rose 13.6 percent from a year earlier to 946,200 units in July, according to an e-mailed statement from the association. Vehicle sales in July gained 14.4 percent to 1.24 million units, it said.