Xian, CHINA/SHANGHAI, Oct 21 (Reuters) - China's 2020 auto production and sales may possibly be close to last year's levels should they keep growing in the fourth quarter, an official from the country's state planner said on Wednesday.

Wu Wei, an official at the National Development and Reform Commission, made the comments at an industry conference in China's northwestern city of Xian.

In a separate speech at the same event, Chinese commerce ministry official Hu Jianping forecasted that China's total vehicle ownership could hit around 280 million units by the end of this year. (Reporting by Yilei Sun and Brenda Goh; Editing by Jacqueline Wong)