(Yicai) Feb. 6 -- Retail sales of consumer goods in Suzhou exceeded CNY1 trillion (USD137.3 billion) last year, making it the seventh Chinese city to reach the mark.

Suzhou's retail consumer goods sales jumped 4.8 percent to CNY1.004 trillion (USD137.8 billion) in 2024 from the year before, according to data released by the eastern Chinese city's Bureau of Statistics yesterday. The other six cities that have exceeded the CNY1 trillion level are Shanghai, Chongqing, Beijing, Guangzhou, Shenzhen, and Chengdu.

Shanghai remained top with retail consumer goods sales of CNY1.79 trillion (USD246.3 billion) last year.

Suzhou's growth in retail sales of consumer goods shows that the city's policies to boost consumption have succeeded. Local retail car sales rose 7.2 percent last year from the previous one, with that of new energy vehicles surging 57 percent. Household appliances and audio-visual equipment retail sales also rose 57 percent.

The rapid development of instant retail and livestream e-commerce has invigorated online consumption in Suzhou, with the local wholesale and retail sectors expanding by 20 percent in online retail sales through public networks last year.

Residents' income level is another crucial factor affecting the growth of retail sales of consumer goods in Suzhou. The per capita disposable income of permanent residents was CNY77,524 (USD10,645) last year, second only to Shanghai within the Yangtze River Delta region.

Suzhou's top priority is 'focusing on expansion and efficiency enhancement, and comprehensively boosting effective demand,' according to the local government's 2025 work report.

Editor: Martin Kadiev