Beijing's per capita gross domestic product (GDP) exceeded 6,000 U.S. dollars in 2006, according to
statistics released by the capital's development and reform meeting on January
5.
Chai Xiaozhong, deputy director of the Beijing Municipal Development
and Reform Commission, said that the city's GDP rose 11 percent in 2006, the
eighth straight year Beijing has had double-digit economic growth.
Despite the good performance of Beijing's economy, Chai said the city
faces many challenges, particularly the widening income gap between the city's
urban and rural residents.
The per capita annual disposable income of
urban residents is estimated to be more than 20,000 yuan, an increase of 12
percent over last year, while the per capita net income of farmers living in the
outskirts of Beijing was 8,560 yuan, up eight percent.
Chai said the
city's growing population, which now exceeds 15 million permanent residents and
some 4 million temporary residents, is also putting intense pressure on the
city's natural resources and environment.
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