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Statistics show that Beijing residents are continuing recent years' trend of spending more of their rapidly increasing incomes on enjoying life. In the first six months of this year, their per capita expenditure went up by 18.1 percent, making them the top spenders in the 10 major Chinese cities, according to a Beijing Morning Post survey.

Carried out by Beijing Municipal Statistics Bureau among residents in Beijing and nine other cities, including Tianjin, Shanghai, Shenyang and Guangzhou, the survey showed that per capita disposable income was 6,253 yuan (US$753.37) in the first half of the year, 16.2 percent up year-on-year, making Beijingers' incomes the fifth highest in the cities surveyed.

Compared with the past, when people spent more on food, clothing and furniture, Beijingers now invest more in housing, medical insurance, transport and telecommunications, recreation, education and cultural activities. Statistics also show that 133,000 cars were sold in Beijing in January-June this year, up 19.2 percent on a yearly basis. There are now four cars per 100 families in the Chinese capital.