The clampdown on illegal pricing has helped to bring down liquefied gas retail prices by up to 19 percent in major Chinese cities, the nation's top economic planning agency said on Tuesday.

The government has taken a series of measures, including a freeze on fuel and electricity prices and a clampdown on illegal pricing, to prevent inflation.

China's consumer price index, the main gauge of inflation, rose to an 11-year high of 6.9 percent in November, driven primarily by food and fuel price increases.

Liquefied gas retail prices were down by about 19 percent in Shijiazhuang and 13 percent in Nanchang. In Guangzhou, Zhenzhou and Wuhan it was down 10 percent, and three percent in Nanjing and Jinan, the National Development and Reform Commission (NDRC) said.

Some liquefied gas producers raised wholesale prices without government approval while some retailers colluded to raise prices, the NDRC noted.

The prices of fuel, gas, electricity, tap water, heating, public transport and entrance tickets to tourist destinations were not allowed to be raised in the near future, the State Council reiterated on Monday.

The cabinet also ordered local authorities to clampdown on illegal pricing activities, including colluding to raise prices, hoarding goods and jacking up prices and spreading rumors on price increases that disturb market order.

(Xinhua News Agency January 16, 2008)