Swedish automaker Volvo, now owned by Zhejiang Geely Holding Group (0175.HK), said Tuesday that unit sales in China surged 82% in May, MarketWatch reported. Volvo sold 4,019 cars in China last month, compared to 7,363 in the US and 5,257 in Sweden, making China the company’s third-largest market. Growth in China was nearly double the global average. Volvo sold a total of 41,465 units worldwide in May, up 42% year-on-year; sales in the US and Sweden increasing 58% and 44%, respectively. Year-to-date sales are up 20% from the same period in 2010. Volvo cited strong demand for its Volvo 60 series, specifically the XC60, S60 and V60, as the main driver of new sales, and plans to hire 1,000 new workers in Sweden.