By Martin Mou

China plans to have new-energy vehicles account for around 20% of the country's total new auto sales by 2025, which would represent a fivefold increase from the current ratio.

China's State Council disclosed the target on Monday in a plan aimed at boosting the country's new-energy-vehicle industry, calling for the country's core new-energy-car technologies to be globally advanced in 15 years.

Pure electric vehicles should account for the bulk of new cars sold in China by 2035, according to the plan.

Sales of new-energy vehicles, comprising mostly electric cars, was 734,000 for the first three quarters of the year, according to the government-backed China Association of Automobile Manufacturers. That was just 4.3% of China's total auto sales of 17.1 million for the same period.

Expectations for the national development plan drove a broad rally by Chinese auto makers on Monday. Shares of Geely Automobile and BYD Co., considered as the leading electric-vehicle makers in China, each jumped around 13% in Hong Kong.

Write to Martin Mou at martin.mou@wsj.com

Corrections & Amplifications

This article was corrected at 0912 GMT because the original incorrectly said pure electric cars should become the mainstream among new-energy cars sold by 2035. Pure electric cars should account for the bulk of new cars sold in China by 2035.

(END) Dow Jones Newswires

11-02-20 0501ET