DETROIT — Ford Motor's operations in China earned roughly $600 million last year despite challenging market conditions, CEO Jim Farley said Thursday night.

"I'm happy to say that Ford makes money in China, and I'm very proud of that, because not many [automakers] can say that," Farley said following a vehicle reveal for the Detroit Auto Show.

Farley said those earnings included the export of vehicles such as the Lincoln Nautilus, which is exclusively produced in China for other markets such as the U.S.

China has been an increasingly challenging market for automakers, especially western legacy companies such as Ford and General Motors.

Ford does not report earnings by region, but Farley has previously touted the company's evolving "asset-light" strategy in China.