BEIJING — The per capita disposable income of China's rural residents rose 1.6 percent year-on-year in the first three quarters, an official said on Oct 27.

In the January-September period, the per capita disposable income of rural residents was 12,297 yuan (about $1,835), and sustained growth is expected through the fourth quarter of the year, Liu Huanxin, vice-minister of agriculture and rural affairs told a press conference.

During the 13th Five-Year Plan period (2016-20), the per capita disposable income gap between China's urban and rural residents continued to narrow, with the ratio standing at 2.64:1 in 2019, an improvement from 2.73:1 in 2015, Liu said.

Rural per capita disposable income surpassed 16,000 yuan in 2019, according to Liu.