Beijing's per Capita GDP Estimated to Exceed $10,000 in 2009

The annual per capita GDP in Beijing was expected to top 10,000 U.S. dollars in 2009 as the national capital expected an over 9.5 percent economic growth for the same year, said an official with the municipal economic planning agency Thursday.

Beijing expected to rake in financial revenue totaling 202.7 billion yuan (about 29.8 billion U.S. dollars), up 10.3 percent year on year, said Zhang Gong, head of the Beijing Municipal Development and Reform Committee.

The income of urban and rural residents were estimated to rise by 9 percent and 12 percent respectively in 2009 compared to 2008 figures, said Zhang.

Government policies and investment had helped boost local industries amid the global downturn, Zhang said. The city's industrial added value was expected to grow by about 8 percent and the service sector by more than 10.5 percent in 2009, accounting for 73.5 percent of Beijing overall economic strength.

Beijing also strengthened infrastructure construction in 2009 to raise its capability for sustained development, Zhang said. The length of highways and track traffic lines in operation reached 884 kilometers and 228 kilometers respectively currently. The city still has 276.7 kilometers of track traffic line under construction, he said.

The annual per capita GDP in Beijing was more than 9,075 U.S. dollars in 2008 and the figure was 7,370 U.S. dollars in 2007.