The average wage of China's urban employees increased by 13.6 percent year-on-year to 12,291 yuan (US$1,517) in the first nine months of this year, according to the National Bureau of Statistics.

A report the bureau issued over the weekend said the average wage of state-owned institutions reached 12,855 yuan, up 13.3 percent, year-on-year. For collective institutions and other institutions, the average wage stood at 7,287 yuan and 12,456 yuan, respectively, up 14.6 percent and 12.6 percent.

The bureau said the number of urban employees totaled 111.03 million at the end of September, a year-on-year increase of 1.58 million. Of the total, the state-owned sector had 66.63 employees on the payroll, a drop of 1.59 million; the collective sector saw a reduction of 1 million to 8.63 million; and the other institutions had a hefty increase of 4.18 million to 35.76 million.

(Xinhua News Agency October 31, 2005)