East China's Shandong Province became the country's leading producer of gold last year, reporting an output of 36.7 tons, the latest statistics from the Shandong Gold Co., Ltd. show.

 

This was an increase of 1.1 tons over the previous year, according to the company.

 

In 2005, the company expanded its businesses in Northwest China's Qinghai and Gansu provinces, winning the rights of developing gold mines there. It also cooperated with the countries of Kyrgyzstan, Sudan, Oman, Mongolia, Myanmar and Australia.

 

Currently, more than 30 percent of China's gold output comes from Shandong, according to the statistics from the Beijing-based China Gold Association.

 

(Xinhua News Agency February 18, 2006)