UPDATE 1-GM says 2007 China vehicle sales rise 19 pct

SHANGHAI, Jan 10 (Reuters) - General Motors Corp. GM.N said on Thursday its sales in China rose 18.5 percent to a record 1.03 million vehicles last year, helped by robust demand in the world's second-largest auto market.

The U.S. auto maker did not give a forecast for 2008 but Kevin Wale, president and managing director of GM China, said his company would continue to launch new models to help boost sales.

Sales at GM's flagship car venture with SAIC Motor Corp (600104.SS) came to 479,427 cars, up 16.9 percent, it said.

At its commercial vehicle tie-up in southern China, sales rose 20.1 percent to 548,945 vehicles.

GM's arch-rival in China, Volkswagen AG (VOWG.DE) has yet to release its 2007 China sales figures, but Ford Motor Co (F.N), which came to the country much later, reported a 30 percent growth in its retail sales here last year.

The number-two U.S automaker sold 216,324 vehicles in China during the period, roughly a fifth of GM's local sales volume. (Reporting by Fang Yan; Editing by Andrew Torchia and Ken Wills)