Length of contract: 1 year | Annualised value: US$5 million | Overall: US$5m

Shanghai GM, General Motors' Chinese division, will sponsor China's 11th National Games, which will be held this October in Shandong Province.

The company's Buick vehicles will be responsible for transportation of the Games' Torch, as well as, along with Chevrolet, serving as the official passenger vehicles of the event.

All China's premier atheletes will compete in the National Games, split into 33 regional teams and a 34th representing the People's Liberation Army.

General Motors are scaling back many of their global sponsorships due to the effect of the global financial crisis on the automotive industry, but remain committed to supporting the Games in China, which has been largely domestically unaffected by the situation.

A GM spokeswoman also said the company is "committed to providing the transportation support" to the Vancouver 2010 Winter Olympics, which begin in just under a year.