BEIJING -

After the automaker notched a record year in China during 2010, General Motors’ top boss says the company’s largest market will remain “one of our priorities” and outlined plans for that country.

China is the world’s biggest auto market, according to J.D. Power and Associates.

Speaking during a media briefing Tuesday in Beijing, GM chairman and chief executive officer Dan Akerson said: “As our largest market, China played a significant role in GM’s success in 2010. We will continue investing aggressively in China to ensure the long-term success of our company.”

Sales for the automaker and its joint ventures reached 2.35 million units in China last year, which was a record.

“GM’s success in China is the result of our strategic approach to doing business in this country,” Akerson stated. “The foundation is great product, a consistent focus on understanding and meeting the needs of local consumers, fantastic partnerships, and a dedication to bringing the latest industry technology to China.”

Akerson noted that because of this strategy, GM has spent the last six years as China’s top global automaker for sales.

“GM will continue to make China one of our priorities,” Akerson emphasized. “We plan to introduce more than 20 new and upgraded models over the next two years, strengthen our local product development capability, expand our cooperation and sharing of technology with local partners, and lead in the introduction of new energy vehicles including the Chevrolet Volt extended-range electric vehicle.

“All of this is part of GM’s long-term commitment to the sustainable development of China’s automotive industry,” he shared.

Moreover, Akerson stressed how vital local relationships are to the automaker.

“We regard our 11 domestic joint ventures as 11 keys to our success in China,” he noted. “To remain a global industry leader, GM must remain an industry leader in China.”