Chinese shares opened slightly higher on Thursday with the benchmark Shanghai Composite Index rising 0.07 percent to open at 3,154.19 points.

The Shenzhen Component Index edged up 0.1 percent to 12,928.52 points at the opening.

Whole year economic figures in 2009 and monthly figures for December concerning industrial output, urban fixed-asset investment, retail sales, and inflation are expected to be released by China's National Bureau of Statistics (NBS) at 10:00 a.m.

The NBS is also scheduled to announce the country's gross domestic product (GDP) growth data for the fourth quarter and the whole year of 2009.