China's largest oil producer, PetroChina, has reported sales of 655 million yuan (91 million U.S. dollars) in non-oil business at its filling stations last year.

The state-owned company did not report a profit figure, but said that it would "achieve an overall increase in profitability by 2010".

From 2002 to 2007, the state-owned oil giant built up non-oil services at 2,940 filling stations. These efforts included convenience stores, fast food and car-washing services.

PetroChina said that it aimed to provide non-oil services at one-third of its 18,846 filling stations by 2010.

"This is a new kind of service and it's in line with our strategy and development," said Jiang Jiemin, general manager of China National Petroleum Corporation, the parent of PetroChina.

PetroChina's net profits for the first half of 2007 stood at 81.83 billion yuan, up 1.4 percent from the first half of 2006.

(Xinhua News Agency February 8, 2008)