Volkswagen ups China investment volume -sources

HAMBURG, Germany, April 22 (Reuters) - Volkswagen (VOWG_p.DE) aims to increase its China investment programme above the 4.4 billion euros ($5.9 billion) by 2012 initially planned in response to a continuing boom in demand, two people familiar with the matter said.

"We have increased the investments," said one of the sources, a top manager of Europe's largest carmaker, on the sidelines of VW's annual general meeting in Hamburg.

Volkswagen declined to comment.

China is on track to overtake Germany easily as the group's largest single market this year.

Since VW's Chinese activities are operated through two separate joint ventures with Shanghai Automotive and FAW, its earnings are booked as a share of profit for equity-accounted investments.

(Reporting by Jan Schwartz)