General Motors Corp.'s (GM) top executive for the Asia-Pacific region said China is one of the "centerpieces" for the Detroit auto maker's future as it tries to accelerate its restructuring plans for survival.

Nick Reilly said GM needs to be an "industry leader" in China if it wants to remain a leader in the global auto marketplace.

Reilly said GM is racing to come up with a new, updated "viability plan" in an effort to avoid bankruptcy but noted that the company is weighing "several scenarios" to come out of the bankruptcy process as a stronger company, if it became necessary for GM to pursue restructuring moves in court.

Despite its troubles around the world, Reilly said GM's business in China is profitable and remain largely "unaffected" by the global slowdown since last year. GM has "a positive outlook" for both China and the rest of the Asia-Pacific region, said Reilly.

Kevin Wale, head of GM's China operations, said the American auto maker expects China's overall auto market to continue to grow steadily over the next several years, if slower than the double-digit growth the market registered over the past decade. According to Wale, the China auto market should grow 7%-8% on average every year over the next five to six years.

Wale reiterated GM plans to double its sales to 2 million vehicles over the next five years and said that the company most likely would need to build another auto plan to achieve that sales target.

Last year, GM's sales in China rose 6% to 1,094,561 vehicles, including sales of micro minivans made with Wuling Automobile Co., one of its Chinese partners.

GM operates five plants in China with its joint-venture partner SAIC Motor Corp. (600104.SH). GM also has two additional plants run by a separate, three-way venture GM jointly operates with SAIC and Wuling.

-By Norihiko Shirouzu, The Wall Street Journal; norihiko.shirouzu@wsj.com