In 2006, the number of inbound visitors to China totaled 124.94 million, a year-on-year rise of 3.9 percent. Of this total, 22.21 million were foreigners, up 9.7 percent; and 102.73 million were Chinese compatriots from Hong Kong, Macao and Taiwan, up 2.7 percent. Of all the inbound tourists, overnight visitors counted 49.91 million, up 6.6 percent. Foreign exchange earnings from international tourism topped $33.95 billion, up 15.9 percent. The number of China's outbound visitors totaled 34.52 million, up 11.3 percent. Of this total, 28.80 million were on private visits, a year-on-year rise of 14.6 percent, or 83.4 percent of all outgoing visitors. The year 2006 saw 1.39 billion domestic tourists, up 15 percent. The revenue from domestic tourism totaled 623 billion yuan, up 17.9 percent.

VIII. Banking, Securities and Insurance

By the end of 2006, supply of broad money (M2) was 34.6 trillion yuan, reflecting a year-on-year increase of 16.9 percent. Supply of narrow money (M1) was 12.6 trillion yuan, up 17.5 percent. Cash in circulation (M0) was 2.7 trillion yuan, up 12.7 percent. Savings deposit in renminbi and foreign currencies in all items in financial institutions totaled 34.8 trillion yuan at the end of 2006, up 16 percent. Loans in renminbi and foreign currencies in all items in financial institutions reached 23.9 trillion yuan, up 14.7 percent.

Loans in renminbi from rural financial cooperation institutions (i.e. rural credit cooperatives, rural cooperation banks, and rural commercial banks) totaled 2.6 trillion yuan by the end of 2006, an increase of 427.7 billion yuan as compared with the end of 2005. The loans in renminbi for consumption use from all financial institutions totaled 2.4 trillion yuan, an increase of 206.8 billion yuan. Of all consumption loans, those for individual housing totaled 1.99 trillion yuan, an increase of 143.9 billion yuan.

Funds rose in 2006 by enterprises through issuing stocks and share rights on stock market amounted to 559.4 billion yuan, an increase of 371.2 billion yuan over the previous year. Of this total, 128 companies issued A-shares (including newly issued and convertible loan stocks) and other two companies issued A-share rights, receiving 246.4 billion yuan worth of capital altogether, an increase of 212.6 billion yuan over 2005. The issuance of 34 H-shares raised another 313.1 billion yuan worth of capital, an increase of 158.6 billion yuan. The number of listed companies (with A- or B-shares) on China's stock market rose from 1,381 at the end of 2005 to 1,434 at the end of 2006, representing 8.9404 trillion yuan worth of market value, a growth of 175.7 percent over the previous year.

The total corporate bonds issued throughout the year reached 101.5 billion yuan, an increase of 36.1 billion yuan over 2005; and the short-term financing funds were 294.3 billion yuan, an increase of 155.1 billion yuan.

The premium received by the insurance companies totaled 564.1 billion yuan in 2006, up 14.4 percent over the previous year. Of this total, life insurance premium amounted to 359.3 billion yuan, health and casualty insurance premium 53.9 billion yuan, and property insurance premium 150.9 billion yuan.

Insurance companies paid an indemnity worth of 143.9 billion yuan, of which, life insurance indemnity was 46.5 billion yuan, health and casualty insurance indemnity 17.7 billion yuan, and property insurance indemnity 79.6 billion yuan.

IX. Education, Science and Technology

In 2006, the post-graduate education enrollment was 1.1 million with 400,000 new students and 260,000 graduates. The general tertiary education enrollment was 17.39 million with 5.4 million new students and 3.77 million graduates. Vocational secondary schools of various types had 18.09 million enrolled students, including 7.41 million entrants, and 4.76 million graduates. Senior secondary schools had 25.15 million enrolled students, including 8.71 million entrants, and 7.27 million graduates. Students enrolled in junior secondary schools totaled 59.58 million, including 19.3 million entrants, and 20.72 million graduates. The country had a primary education enrollment of 107.12 million, including 17.29 million entrants, and 19.28 million graduates. There were 360,000 students in special education schools, with 50,000 entrants. Kindergartens accommodated 22.64 million children.

The amount of expenditures on research and development activities (R&D) was worth 294.3 billion yuan in 2006, up 20.1 percent over 2005, accounting for 1.41 percent of GDP. Of this total, 14.8 billion yuan was appropriated for fundamental research programs. A total number of 1,409 projects under the National Key Technology Research and Development Program and 2,841 projects under the Hi-tech Research and Development Program (the 863 Program) were implemented. The year 2006 saw the establishment of seven new national engineering research centers and three national engineering laboratories.

The number of state validated enterprise technical centers reached 438 by the end of the year. A total of 33,000 scientific research outcomes at and above provincial or ministerial level were achieved. Some 573,000 patent applications were accepted from home and abroad, of which 470,000 were domestic applications, accounting for 82.1 percent of the total. A total number of 210,000 patent applications for new inventions were accepted, of which 122,000 were from domestic applicants or 58.1 percent of the total. A total of 268,000 patents were authorized in 2006, of which 224,000 were domestic patents, accounting for 83.5 percent of the total. A total of 58,000 patents for new inventions were authorized, of which 25,000 were domestic ones, accounting for 43.4 percent. A total of 206,000 technology transfer contracts were signed, representing 181.8 billion yuan in value, up 20.4 percent over the previous year.

By the end of 2006, there were altogether 21,458 laboratories for product inspection, including 325 national inspection centers. There were 184 institutions for certification of product quality systems, which accumulatively certified products in 49,000 enterprises. A total of 3,750 authorized measurement institutions enforced compulsory inspection on 37.3 million measurement instruments in the year. Some 1,950 national standards were developed or revised in the year, including 1,100 new standards. The country had 18,053 meteorology observatories, including 249 national climate observatories, 2,297 national weather observatories and 15,507 regional weather observation stations. There were 1,253 seismological monitor stations and 31 seismological remote monitor network stations. The number of oceanic observation and monitor spots reached 8,800. Mapping departments published 1,779 maps and 532 mapping books.

X. Culture, Public Health and Sports

At the end of 2006, there were 2,766 performing groups, 2,889 culture centers, 2,767 public libraries, 1,593 museums, 267 radio broadcasting stations, 296 television stations and 46 educational television stations throughout China. Subscribers to cable television programs numbered 138.62 million. A number of 209 cities provided digital cable television services covering 12.62 million subscribers. Radio broadcasting and television broadcasting coverage rates were 95 percent and 96.2 percent respectively. The country produced 330 feature movies and 62 science, educational, documentary and cartoon movies. A total of 41.6 billion copies of newspapers and 3 billion copies of magazines were issued, and 6.2 billion copies of books published. By the end of the year, there were 3,994 archives in China and 63.55 million documents were made accessible to the public. China promulgated its first list of 518 national intangible cultural heritages.