During the January-November period, customs revenues were up 26.73 billion yuan (US$3.23 billion), 13.3 per cent, compared with those for the same period last year, said customs authorities.

They added the year's target, set at the beginning of the year, had been completed 40 days ahead of schedule.

By the end of last month, Chinese customs had collected 103.5 per cent of the year's planned sum of 220 billion yuan (US$26.57 billion).

Mou Xinsheng, head of the General Administration of Customs, attributed the increase in revenue to a series of effective policies adopted by the country, including a pro-active financial policy, stable monetary policy, enlargement of domestic demand, steady growth of the national economy and an increase in fixed-asset investment.

(China Daily December 6, 2001)