BEIJING, Jan. 23 (Xinhua) -- The growth of Chinese enterprises' sales revenue saw a steady recovery last year despite the COVID-19 epidemic, according to State Taxation Administration.

Chinese firms' earnings in sales rose 6 percent year on year in 2020, data from the administration showed.

Sales revenue of Chinese enterprises registered a 17.6-percent year-on-year contraction in the first quarter of 2020, triggered by the economic fallout of the COVID-19 epidemic, the administration said.

With effective virus containment measures and improvements in economic activities, the volume reversed the downward trend by gaining 9 percent year on year in the second quarter.

The pace of growth further accelerated in the next two quarters, reaching 12.4 percent and 15.7 percent, respectively, according to the administration.