China's CPI rises by 5.4% in 2011

Beijing (CNS) - China's consumer price index (CPI) rose 4.1 percent year-on-year in December, down 0.1 percent from November, the National Bureau of Statistics (NBS) said on Thursday.

Food prices, a key cause of inflation, went up 9.1 percent year-on-year in December and became the leading factor behind the 2.79 percent jump in the CPI, while other prices increased 1.9 percent.

The price of meat witnessed the fastest pace with a 16.6 percent increase in December. Tobacco and liquor saw a rise of 3.9 percent. Garment prices went up by 3.8 percent, followed by a 2.8 percent rise in healthcare costs. Commodities related to entertainment, education and culture increased only by 0.1 percent.