South China Region's GDP Rises by 8%

The Guangxi Zhuang Autonomous Region in southern China reported a 8.1 percent growth in gross domestic product (GDP) in the first nine months of the year, latest statistics indicated.

During January and September, Guangxi's GDP reached 173.7 billion yuan (about 21 billion U.S. dollars), after the region took measures to readjust its economic structure.

While reducing grain production and growth area for sugar cane, the mountainous region has made greater efforts to plant vegetables. For the first time, the region's area for planting vegetables surpassed 1 million hectares.

Officials said in the first three quarters of the year agricultural output arrived at 31.3 billion yuan, up 2 percent over the same period last year.

Industry has developed healthily along with the reform of State-owned enterprises that are operating at a loss. Industrial output during the period rose 9.3 percent to 44.5 billion yuan. Eleven out of 14 key industries have started making profits.

Service industry was the main driving force behind the economic development of the region. During the period tourism and other sectors turned out 55.7 billion yuan, up 12.4 percent over the same period last year.

Meanwhile, due to the economic recovery of southeast Asian countries, exports by the region have increased rapidly, government officials said.

People's Daily Online --- http://english.peopledaily.com.cn/