China's industrial production up 17.2 percent in first three quarters

China's industrial output in the first nine months of 2006 totaled 6.22 trillion yuan (777.76 billion U.S. dollars), up 17.2 percent over the same period last year, which was 0.9 percentage point higher than the rise at the same time last year.

Li Xiaochao, spokesman with the National Bureau of Statistics (NBS), said Thursday that in September alone, China's industrial production came to 775.4 billion yuan (96.93 U.S. dollars), up 16.1 percent.

Heavy industry grew by 18.2 percent and light industry by 14.9 percent, according to the NBS.

The production of electricity was up 12.9 percent and coal was up 11.7 percent. Crude steel output rose by 18.4 percent and rolled steel by 23.7 percent.

The production of personal computers rose 34.7 percent. The production of cars was up 41.5 percent, while all motor vehicles was up 24 percent.

Source: Xinhua