Chinese private companies reported profit growth rate of 52.5 percent in the first nine month, more than double of their state counterparts.

Figures with the National Bureau of Statistics show that profit for the state-owned companies grew 20.1 percent in the period and companies with overseas investment rose 27.2 percent.

On the average, China's industrial profit rose 29.6 percent in the first three quarters, 9.5 percentage points higher than that in the same period last year.

China's industrial profit has maintained its 20-plus percent growth in the first nine months, which analysts said was based on slowdown last year.

In the first half of 2005, the sector ended its high growth rate of between 30 percent and 40 percent and dropped to 20 percent.

The profits of all state companies and companies with annual sales income of over 5 million yuan reached 1301.9 billion yuan in the first nine months.

The oil refining and coking sector saw losses of 43.4 billion yuan in the first three quarters but the profits of oil and natural gas exploitation sector grew 35.5 percent in the period.

(Xinhua News Agency October 25, 2006)