By Agence France-Presse The lifting of coronavirus lockdowns in China has given the stuttering auto industry a jumpstart, with sales rising for the first time in two years as buyers return as the health crisis eases. China's auto market, the world's biggest, is a key part of the vast economy (AFP / Noel CELIS / MANILA BULLETIN) Sales in the world's biggest car market began to slide in 2018 and plunged further when the pandemic paralysed the economy, but they have rebounded as the country tames the virus and lifts restrictions on travel and businesses. Sales rose 4.4 percent year-on-year in April, the latest figures from the China Association of Automobile Manufacturers show, driven by strong demand for commercial vehicles, which soared more than 30 percent. The recent uptick came as China emerged from months of lockdown and restrictions on movement imposed around the country earlier this year to curb the spread of the virus. Passenger car sales suffered at the time, plunging close to 80 percent from a year ago in February, according to China Passenger Car Association data. The auto industry is a crucial one for China and among those that have been supported by state measures. Beijing decided in late March to extend the tax exemption for the purchase of electric vehicles by two years. Several municipalities have also lifted restrictions that cap the number of new vehicles put on the road -- a move originally aimed at limiting congestion and pollution.