General Motors Corp says it has begun production at a new manufacturing plant in Qindao, China.

The plant is GM's second manufacturing facility in the coastal city. The company said production began Monday.

The plant will make small work trucks for GM's joint venture with Chinese automakers Wuling and Shanghai Automotive Industry Corp. The plant has an annual capacity of 300,000 vehicles.

GM has a five-year-old partnership with Wuling and Shanghai Automotive producing small trucks and minivans as well as the Chevrolet Spark minicar. GM says the group sold more than 552,000 vehicles in 2007 and is a segment leader in China.

GM has eight joint ventures in China and about 20,000 employees in the country.