China's gross domestic product grew 9.69 percent in the first half of this year, according to a revision released by the National Bureau of Statistics (NBS). The preliminary figure released earlier had indicated a rise of 9.66 percent.

According to the revision, GDP in the first six months totaled 5.9 trillion yuan (US$708.3 billion), or 1.5 billion yuan (US$181.1 million) more than the preliminary figure.

The NBS explained that readjustment in the communications, transportation, warehouse, post, and other service industries raised the tertiary industry growth rate by 0.1 percentage point, or 1.5 billion yuan, in the first half of this year. Other industries showed no changes.

Since last year, the NBS has been reforming GDP accounting procedures to improve objectivity, accuracy, transparency and credibility. Quarterly GDP accounting now consists of three steps: preliminary accounting, preliminary check and final check.

On May 17, the NBS revised the first-quarter GDP growth rate from the preliminary 9.7 percent to 9.8 percent.

In 2003, GDP rose 9.1 percent.

(Xinhua News Agency August 23, 2004)