The average monthly disposable income of urban residents rose in the first six months of 2002 by 17.5 per cent year-on-year, to reach Yn657, Economic Daily reported. The National Bureau of Statistics attributed the increase to higher wages for civil servants and rising severance payments for laid-off workers.
Average per capita monthly spending by urban residents rose 13.3 per cent over the same period to reach Yn494. China's gross domestic product grew by 7.8 per cent in the first half of this year.