国内英语新闻:Beijing's per capita GDP exceeds $10,000

BEIJING, Jan. 21 (Xinhua) -- Beijing's per capita gross domestic product exceeded 10,000 U.S. dollars for the first time last year after a strong economic recovery, a local statistics official said Thursday.

The GDP in the Chinese capital grew 10.1 percent to 1.187 trillion yuan (137.8 billion U.S. dollars) in 2009, according to the Beijing Bureau of Statistics.

The per capita GDP was 68,788 yuan (10,070 U.S. dollars) as the city had 17.55 million permanent residents at the end of 2009.

"The breakthrough is a milestone for Beijing," said Yu Xiuqin, the bureau's deputy director. "According to the standards of the World Bank, Beijing has become a moderately well-off city."

According to the World Bank, a country or region should be recognized as moderately well-off when its per capita GDP exceeds 10,000 U.S. dollars, the official explained.

The service industry contributed to 75 percent of Beijing's GDP and its urbanization rate had reached 85 percent, she said.

"The Beijing government will take further measures to boost the living standards and social welfare of the rural population to bridge the gap between urban and rural areas," Yu said.