China will raise the prices of gasoline, diesel oil, aviation kerosene and electricity, while maintaining the prices of natural gas and liquefied petroleum gas. China's top economic planner announced the news Thursday night.

According to the National Development and Reform Commission, beginning June 20, gasoline and diesel oil prices will be marked up by 1,000 yuan (US$144.9) per tonne, with the price of aviation kerosene up by 1,500 yuan per ton.

The average electricity tariff will be raised by 2.5 cents per kilowatt hour starting from July 1, but urban and rural residents and sectors of farming and fertilizer production will be exempted from the price hike, it said.

(Xinhua News Agency June 19, 2008)