URUMQI - Outside investment to Xinjiang surged 34 percent year-on-year to 163 billion yuan ($26.5 billion) in the first half of 2013, local officials said on Sunday.

Private funding accounted for 60 percent of all outside investment in the first half, said Wang Wenming, an official in charge of attracting investment to Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous Region.

The structure of investment continued to balance as money flowing to sectors other than oil grew steadily, Wang said.

Oil exploitation is Xinjiang's pillar industry.