China Car Sales Fuel U.S. Automakers

China announced today that car sales rose more than 10 percent in July.

The news is causing some celebration in Detroit, where car sales are at record levels — in part because of strong demand for American cars in China.

"China is now GM's largest market," Paul Eisenstein, publisher of the car news website The Detroit Bureau, told Here & Now.

General Motors sold 2.8 million vehicles to the Chinese last year and had an increase of 10 percent in sales this year.

Trucks are a huge seller and many automakers cannot keep up with demand.

"Those trucks are being bought by construction workers," Eisenstein said. "It's a sign that the economy is picking up."

Eisenstein said U.S. electric cars are not doing well except for one California electric car maker.

"Tesla is soaring," he said. The company recently boosted production of its vehicles by 25 percent.