BEIJING,poly bridge July 27 (Xinhua) -- Profits of China's major industrial firms increased 3.5 percent year on year in the first six months of the year, official data showed Saturday.

According to the National Bureau of Statistics (NBS), the growth rate widened from the 3.4 percent increase registered in the first five months of the year.

Industrial firms with an annual main business revenue of at least 20 million yuan (about 2.81 million U.S. dollars) saw their combined profits reach 3.51 trillion yuan in the first half of the year.

In June, profits of major industrial firms rose 3.6 percent year on year, according to the NBS.