Japanese car manufacturer Honda Motors Co aims to double the number of car models it sells in China in order to capture market share from rival firms, including General Motors Co, a Japanese newspaper said on Saturday.

Honda said it will offer about 20 models in China in an attempt to challenge the market shares of other car manufacturers in the world's biggest auto market, Japan's Nikkei newspaper reported early today. The newspaper, however, did not mention its source of information.

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The expansion of its product range in China will be carried out by sharing platforms and other parts between its two joint ventures in the country. Honda also reportedly plans to source Chinese parts to keep its operating costs low.

Honda spokesmen have not issued a statement regarding the news, although analysts said expanding its car models in China is a wise move for Honda as other foreign car manufacturers have already expanded their offerings in the country.

China's auto market, which is already the biggest in the world, is expected to further grow this year despite the current economic slowdown and the State Council's regulations against luxurious spending by government officials.

The auto industry is set to mark its second year of double-digit growth in 2014, driven by rising demand in the country's interior regions.

Last year, China broke the world record for car sales after it sold more than 20 million vehicles, a first for any country. The United States sold only 15.6 million vehicles in 2013.

The 2013 sales figure represented 14 percent growth from a year ago, the China Association of Automobile Manufacturers (CAAM) said. However, CAAM noticed a slowdown in March of this year compared with the the first two months.

Auto makers sold 1.71 million passenger vehicles in March, up 7.9 percent from a year earlier, representing a slowdown from the 11 percent year-to-year rise in the January-to-February period.

TagsHonda, Honda China, Honda Cars, Honda Models