Statistics from Chinese Ministry of Commerce showed that the country's 30 largest chain-store enterprises had 491.04 billion yuan (about 61.38 billion U.S. dollars) in sales in 2005, increasing 30.9 percent from the previous year.

China now has 16,665 chain stores, up 20.7 percent year on year.

Bailian Group, achieving a sales value of 72.07 billion yuan in 2005 by its chain store business departments, tops Chinese chain store enterprises.

The statistics also show that the sales value of the 30 largest chain store enterprises accounts for 7.3 percent of total retail sales. This is 0.2 percent higher than that in 2004, indicating a leading role played in China's chain store business.

China's home appliance chain-store business jumped in 2005, with top five giants in this area witnessing their sales volume rise 66.8 percent year on year.

Source: Xinhua