In 2006, China's GDP reached 20.94 trillion Yuan, an increase of 10.7% compared to 2005. The economy grew at a rate of 10% or more for four years in succession. Living standards have greatly improved, as has the per capita disposable income of urban dwellers & net income of rural households has increased. This rapid economic growth has made great demands on glass consumption, which has promoted the sustained & rapid development of China's glass industry. In 2006, total flat glass output was 23.3M/tons (12% increase on 2005). By the end of 2006, 162 float glass production lines were in operation, almost twice the amount of 2005. Of these, 135 lines use Chinese float glass technology, amounting to 83%. Currently, production lines of 500/tpd and over are operating around half the total capacity of the country.
