China's State-owned industrial enterprises, which account for the majority of China's SOEs, ended two years of losses in 2016 and reaped good returns on the back of structural optimization.

In 2016, the profits of State-owned industrial enterprises rose 6.7 percent, the highest growth rate since 2012, according to the State-owned Assets Supervision and Administration Commission.

Profits are no longer limited to traditional industries including oil and coal, with more sectors reporting increasing profits and restored growth, such as pharmaceuticals, electrical machinery and equipment.