China has seen a strong momentum of consumption in the first five months in 2004 as the total retail of consumer products surged 12.5 percent year on year.

Vice Minister of Commerce Yu Guangzhou said at a recent conference that during the January-May period, China's imports grew 41 percent, of which 95 percent were used for production and construction, thanks to the booming of domestic consumer demand.

China has also increased other imported goods such as crude oil,ironstone and agricultural products including wheat, grain, rice and edible oil, so as to release the domestic demand pressure.

However, the growth rate of imported goods appeared to decline,Yu said, mainly because the central government has launched a series of policies to control the overheated investment momentum.

In May, the growth rate of investment in fixed assets dropped 16.4 percent and the growth rate of import also declined to 7.4 percent, successfully turning the unfavorable balance performed by the previous four months and earning 2.1 billion US dollars surplus, according to the Ministry of Commerce.

Source: Xinhua