North China's Shanxi province generated 960.67 billion yuan ($148.56 billion) in gross domestic product (GDP) in the first half of 2021, a 12.2 percent year-on-year gain, according to Shanxi Statistics Bureau on July 21. 

Wei Yongjie, deputy director of Shanxi Statistics Bureau, said that during the period, the province's economy continued to recover steadily and major economic indicators continued to rebound. 

He added that the primary, secondary and tertiary sectors of the economy grew rapidly in the first six months. 

The summer grain yield per mu (0.07 hectare) was 302.2 kilograms, which was an increase of 2.7 percent and a new high. The province's added value of industries above a designated scale increased 15.9 percent year-on-year. The service industry's added value increased 10.9 percent, an increase of 13.4 percentage points from the previous corresponding period in 2020. 

The added value of the equipment manufacturing, industrial strategic emerging industries and high-tech manufacturing grew substantially, while emerging service industries, such as internet-related industries, real estate and the sports and entertainment sector, led the fast-paced growth.

The output of new energy vehicles, photovoltaic cells and mobile phones also rose rapidly. 

The province's fixed asset investments increased 18.2 percent during the period, 5.6 percentage points higher than the national average. Total retail sales of consumer goods increased 30.3 percent, 7.3 percentage points higher than the national average. 

In addition, Shanxi's imports and exports during the first half increased 108.4 percent, 81.3 percentage points higher than the national average.