China recorded 870.4 billion yuan (US$124.3 billion) in retail sales in May, a growth of 21.6 percent on the same month of last year, the National Bureau of Statistics said on Friday.

The total included 594.7 billion yuan in urban areas, up 22.3 percent, and 275.7 billion yuan in areas at or below county level, up 20.1 percent.

The total included 737.2 billion yuan generated by wholesale and retail sale sectors, up 21.8 percent, 120.4 billion yuan by hotel and catering sectors, up 22.4 percent, and 12.8 billion yuan by other sectors, up 4.5 percent.

May saw sales of grain and edible oil up 27.6 percent, meat and eggs up 25.4 percent, motor vehicles and parts up 32 percent, oil and related products up 42.5 percent and sales of jewelry up 29.4 percent.

In the first five months of this year, the retail sales amounted to 4.24 trillion yuan nationwide, up 21.1 percent.

(Xinhua News Agency June 13, 2008)