Chinese taxation departments collected a total of 169.174 billion yuan (US$20.481 billion ) in social security insurance last year, up 36.487 billion (US$4.417 billion) or 27.39 percent increase year-on-year.

A spokesperson for the State Administration of Taxation said Wednesday that 129.645 billion yuan (US$15.695 billion) in basic pension insurance was collected last year, up 22.54 percent over the previous year, 10.031 billion yuan (US$1.248 billion) in unemployment insurance and 27.32 billion yuan (US$3.307 billion) in basic medical insurance.

The country's taxation departments also collected a total of 1.425 billion yuan (US$172.5 million) in workplace injury premiums and 751 million yuan (US$90.92 million) in birth insurance, according to the administration.
 
(Xinhua News Agency March 4, 2004)