BEIJING — China’s consumption growth picked up pace in May with retail sales expanding 8.6 percent year-on-year, official data showed on June 14.

The growth quickened from an increase of 7.2 percent registered in April, according to the National Bureau of Statistics.

Retail sales in urban and rural areas expanded 8.5 percent and 9 percent respectively.

China saw its total retail sales up 8.1 percent year-on-year in the first five months of this year to reach 16.1332 trillion yuan (about $2.33 trillion).

Online retail sales continued to post robust growth momentum by growing 17.8 percent during the Jan-May period, NBS data showed.