Inner Mongolia saw public budget revenues of 85.3 billion yuan ($12.5 billion) during the first five months of 2017, an increase of 9.7 billion yuan compared to the same period last year, according to the regional finance bureau.

From January to May, Inner Mongolia levied 61.5 billion yuan in tax revenues, with year-on-year growth of 24.7 percent, and received non-tax revenues of 23.8 billion yuan, 9.3 percent down on the previous year.

During the first five months of the year, the region’s government increased public expenditure to improve the lives of residents and to attract business investment.