TIANJIN, June 21 (Xinhua) -- A joint venture (JV) auto parts plant project between Volkswagen and its Chinese partner was put into operation in north China's Tianjin Municipality on Tuesday.

The Tianjin branch of the Volkswagen-FAW auto parts company, a JV between Volkswagen and Fawer Automotive Parts Company Ltd., will mainly produce chassis parts for sports utility vehicle models under the Volkswagen and Audi brands, according to the JV.

The plant covers an area of 32,000 square meters, with an additional 28,000 set aside for expansion in the second phase.

The Tianjin branch is the fourth auto parts production base under the JV, following others in Changchun, Jilin Province, Chengdu, Sichuan Province and Foshan, Guangdong Province.

Volkswagen has experienced fast growth in the Chinese market over the last few years. In 2017, it delivered 4.18 million vehicles to the Chinese mainland and Hong Kong markets, up 5.1 percent year on year.