Though severe acute respiratory syndrome (SARS) has produced a negative influence on some industries, Beijing still witnessed a year-on-year 12 percent growth in its economy in April, statistics show.

Beijing's gross domestic product was 95.14 billion yuan (US$11.46 billion) in April, a 12 percent increase year on year. But the growth in April fell 0.7 percentage points over the first quarter, according to Beijing Municipal Bureau of Statistics.

The large-scale industrial enterprises in Beijing still maintained their rapid growth in the first four months this year, with their added value reaching 28.65 billion yuan (US$3.45 billion), a 13.7 percent increase year on year.

Investment in Beijing is still growing amid the spread of SARS. The capital city invested 35.16 billion yuan (US$4.24 billion) in fixed assets during the first four months of the year, a year-on-year increase of 8.1 percent. But the growth in April was 4.3 percentage points slower than the first quarter.

However, SARS has had a great impact on the tertiary industry, especially transport, wholesale and retail services, food and beverage, hotels, and its overseas tourism.

Beijing saw a year-on-year 17.2 percent decline in its overseas tourist arrivals, with those overseas tourist arrivals in April dropping almost 60 percent over the previous month, according to the bureau's statistics.

(Xinhua News Agency May 13, 2003)