SHANGHAI: Honda Motor Co Ltd and its two Chinese joint ventures sold 59,065 vehicles in China in January, down 6.6 percent from a year earlier, the Japanese automaker said on Tuesday.

This follows a 40.1 percent rise in December and a 12.1 percent fall in November.

Japanese carmakers in China have faced the twin challenges of a slowing economy and political tension between Beijing and Tokyo over the past year.

Honda makes vehicles in China in partnership with Dongfeng Motor Group Co Ltd and Guangzhou Automobile Group Co Ltd.

Copyright Reuters, 2015