BEIJING -- China's top 100 chain stores reported a 26-percent annual rise in sales to 855.2 billion yuan (US$111 billion) in 2006, says a report from the Ministry of Commerce and the China Chain Store and Franchise Association.

The sales accounted for 11.2 percent of China's total retail sales last year, up from 10.5 percent in 2005.

Coming out on top was Gome Appliance, with sales of almost 87 billion yuan (US$11.3 billion), followed by Bailian Group, Suning Home Appliances, CR Vanguard and Dalian Dashang Group.

Last year also saw an expansion in the number of stores run by the top 100 firms to 69,100, up 57 per cent from the previous year.

The 100 companies had a total sales area of 51.7 million square meters, up 16 percent, and 2.04 million employees, up 31 percent.

The China Chain Store and Franchise Association ranked the top 100 enterprises according to figures provided by most of the nation's chain store operators.