URUMQI, Jan. 22 (Xinhua) -- A group of 136 high-tech firms in northwest China's Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous Region have passed a review by the country's Ministry of Science and Technology, bringing the total number of the region's high-tech firms to 540, local authorities said.
The number of high-tech firms in the region has grown 20 percent annually since the ministry started reviewing the qualifications of the country's high-tech firms in 2009.
Among the firms, 117 were in the biology and new medicine industry, while 112 were in the electronic information industry. Others were in the new material, advanced manufacturing and automation, new energy and energy conservation, and aerospace industries.
More than 90 high-tech firms saw an annual revenue of over 100 million yuan (about 15 million U.S. dollars), while 20 firms saw annual revenue of more than 1 billion yuan.
More than 40 high-tech firms in the region have been listed on stock markets.
There are nearly 20,000 technology firms in Xinjiang.
