China's retail sales of consumer goods grew 10.2% year-on-year in November, up from 10% registered in October, official data showed.

Combined sales in the first 11 months rose 10.3% to CNY 33.15 trillion (about US$5 trillion), flat from the January-October pace, the National Bureau of Statistics said on its website.

The steady growth was partly due to booming online sales, which surged 32.4% year-on-year in the first 11 months.

In the same period, retail sales in rural areas rose 11.9%, outpacing the 10-percent expansion for urban areas.

Booming retail sales are behind China's stabilizing economy, which grew 6.9% in the first three quarters.

China is trying to shift its economy toward a growth model driven more by consumer spending, innovation and services while weaning it off over-reliance on exports and investment. (Xinhua)