From January to November the per capita dispensable income for urban residents registered at 11379.1 yuan, 13.2 percent up over the same period of previous year and 1.5 percent higher in growth rate, and the real growth stood at 15.4 percent on inflation-adjusted basis. It is expected that the whole year income would reach 12380 yuan, 13 percent up. The rising of high-income groups has served to lift up the average income level, said experts.

Statistics show an acceleration of income growth in last November, during which the per capital dispensable income stood at 1050.7 yuan, 19.5 percent high than previous year and implying a growth of 9.5 percent, or 21.8 percent higher in real terms. The growth rate of August, September and October also turned out 9.1, 7.8 and 8.2 percent higher than previous months respectively.

Latest statistics show that the stable prices and growth of income in 2002 have also brought more consumption, especially on transportation and communication, housing as well as medicine and health. The per capita expenditure on communication and transportation rose 46 percent and the whole-year figure is expected to exceed 51 percent. Expenditure on family transportation tools rose 6.9 times and that on housing and medicine grow 43.3 and 40.7 percent respectively. From January to November the consumption expenditure registered at 9456 yuan, 14.8 percent higher over previous year, or 17 percent in real terms. The whole-year growth is expected to be at 14.8 percent while that for 2001 stood only at 1.9 percent.

(Xinhua News Agency January 8, 2003)