Government releases spending figures

The Beijing municipal government spent 864 million yuan ($135.3 million) last year on cars and their maintenance, overseas trips and banquets, a finance official said on Thursday.

It is the second time local governments, including Beijing, were asked to release such information since 2010. The Beijing government spent 266 million yuan less on the three items than in 2010.

Yang Xiaochao, director of the Beijing Finance Bureau, told local lawmakers at an ongoing session of Beijing People's Congress that 611 million yuan, about 71 percent of the total cost, was spent on buying and maintaining cars.

The capital spent 317 million yuan less than in 2010 on buying new cars, the only item on the budget which has been reduced.

Yang said 12.99 billion yuan was spent on government operations, this is the first time such information has been released.