Ninety-eight percent of the commercial outlets in Urumqi, capital of northwest China's Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous Region, have resumed operation, said a senior official on Tuesday.

Hu Wei, vice chairman of the Xinjiang regional government, said the supply of daily necessities such as grain, edible oil and vegetables has returned to the levels prior to the July 5 riot.

The official said the "normal routines have been gradually restored" and "the overall social situation is stable."

More than 300 shops were smashed or burnt in the violence, which has left 197 dead and more than 1,600 others injured. Many shops suspended their businesses for safety concerns after the incident.

(Xinhua News Agency July 22, 2009)