The industrial sector in China's capital maintained its vigor in the first half of this year, thanks partly to domestic demand and brisk export.

Major industrial enterprises in Beijing realized 57.61 billion yuan (US$6.9 billion) in value-added output in the first six months of this year, a year-on-year growth of 22.5 percent in comparable prices, according to the municipal bureau of statistics.

The growth rate was 10 percentage points more than in the first half of 2003, the bureau said.

The main industries that contributed to the industrial growth are transport equipment manufacturers, special equipment producers, cooking and oil and nuclear fuel processing sector and pharmaceutical enterprises. The industries posted a year-on-year growth of 66.2 percent, 60.6 percent, 53.1 percent and 51.4 percent respectively.

In the January-June period, Beijing produced 262,000 motor vehicles, including 77,000 cars, up 70.4 percent and 180 percent respectively year-on-year, the bureau said.

Also deserving attention was the new-technology and high-tech sector, which recorded 16.98 billion yuan (US$2.05 billion) in value-added output in the past six months, up 19.1 percent. The growth rate was 9.5 percentage points higher than the year-earlier level, the bureau added.

(Xinhua News Agency July 21, 2004)