Chinese taxation departments collected a total of 120.699 billion yuan (US$14.9 billion) in social security insurance in the first half year, up 23.90 billion yuan, a 24.7 percent increase year-on-year.

The State Administration of Taxation made the announcement Thursday.

Some 88.89 billion yuan in basic pension insurance was collected during the period, up 22.17 percent over the same period last year, 6.83 billion yuan in unemployment insurance and 23.09 billion yuan in basic medical insurance.

The country's taxation departments also collected a total of 1.245 billion yuan in workplace injury premiums and 639 million yuan in birth insurance, according to the administration.

(Xinhua News Agency September 16, 2005