China, which became the world's largest gold producer since in 2007, retained its position again in 2010 by mining 340.88 tonnes, up 8.57 percent year on year, the China Gold Association said Sunday.

Increases in gold output will help China hedge against financial risks and inflation, as well as maintain economic security, the association said.

The number of domestic gold producers shrank to around 700 at the end of 2010, from 1,200 in 2002, through mergers and acquisitions. At present, China's top ten producers account for 49.19 percent of the total gold output.

Production is concentrated in five provinces, including Shandong, Henan, Jiangxi, Yunnan, and Fujian, which account for 59.82 percent of total output.

Violent movements in asset prices caused by the financial crisis boosted Chinese investors' demands for gold as a safe haven. The yearly average gold price jumped 25.6 percent from one year earlier to 1,224.53 U.S. dollars per ounce.