General Motors said Friday its vehicle sales in China had slowed in June from the previous month, reflecting a nationwide trend of softer demand in the world's biggest market.

The US auto giant said it sold 176,486 vehicles in June, up 23.2 percent from a year earlier but down nearly 10 percent from May.

After overtaking the United States for the first time last year to become the world's biggest auto market, China's sales have started to slow in recent months as demand weakens.

General Motors sold more than 1.2 million units in the first half of 2010, up 48.5 percent from a year earlier, it said in a statement.

Sales slowed month-on-month in May and June after soaring 41.1 percent year-on-year to a monthly record in April of 213,115 units.

Out of total sales for June, Shanghai GM, the company's flagship joint venture with China's largest car maker SAIC Motor, sold 71,782 units, up 18.9 percent from a year earlier.

The sales growth at the joint venture, which produces Buick, Chevrolet and Cadillac cars, was much slower than in April, when sales rose 48.7 percent on year to 83,302 units.

Total Chinese car sales hit 1.44 million units during May, down 7.5 percent from April, official figures show.