A staff member disinfects the assemble plant of FAW Jiefang truck in Changchun, Northeast China's Jilin province, Feb 17, 2020. [Photo/Xinhua]

FAW Jiefang, a truck subsidiary of China's leading automaker FAW Group, reported sales of 44,000 middle and heavy trucks in March, up 20 percent year-on-year and breaking a monthly sales record in the category.

The sales number in March is 1.9 times the average monthly sales in 2019, according to the company.

FAW Jiefang produced 40,716 vehicles in March as the novel coronavirus epidemic levels off and work resumes. In the first quarter, a total of 89,491 vehicles were manufactured.

The company has used livestreaming and short videos as marketing methods during the epidemic outbreak, and has seen many online orders, it said.

The company set a goal to sell 350,000 vehicles in 2020 and 430,000 vehicles in 2023. The number is expected to hit 500,000 in 2025.

Founded in 1953 and headquartered in the northeastern province of Jilin, the State-owned FAW Group is known as the cradle of China's auto industry.