Source: CCTV.com

02-25-2007 14:34

The Ministry of Commerce has announced that retail sales of consumer goods in China rose 15 percent year-on-year during the Chinese New Year Holiday.

The retail sales of consumer goods in China rose 15 percent year-on-year, to 220 billion yuan or 28 billion US dollars during the week-long Spring Festival holiday.

The Ministry of Commerce said retail sales in the catering industry surged 18 percent over last year's Spring Festival. The figures from Beijing rose 25 percent respectively. 95 percent of the restaurants in Beijing were fully booked for family reunion dinners during Golden Week.

Meanwhile, high-end household electric appliances and digital products were hot sellers in major cities.

Sales of flat screen TV's accounted for 90 percent of the total TV sales in Beijing, while the sales of high-end mobile phones soared 40 percent in GOME retail stores in Chongqing.

The commerce ministry also said farmers' consumption capability is on the rise, partly because of China's rural cooperative medical care system, under which the government helps pay for farmers' medical expenses.