Chinese stocks rise at midday Tuesday

BEIJING, Jan. 29 (Xinhua) -- The Chinese stock market ended higher in the morning session on Tuesday, buoyed mainly by bullish performances of environment protection and shipbuilding sectors.

The benchmark Shanghai Composite Index ended the morning session with tiny gains at 2,347.39. The Shenzhen Component Index went up 0.63 percent to close at 9,697.33.

The environment protection sector enjoyed the biggest increase by 2.36 percent in the morning session, while the liquor sector, along with ceramics and goods trade sectors, led the declines.

Kweichow Moutai, one of China's leading high-end liquor makers, suffered major losses up to 1.43 percent on Tuesday's morning session.

Plastisizer contamination scandals overshadowed the liquor sector since the end of last year, and Moutai, along with others under fire, suffered major losses in the country's capital market.

To put liquor makers in a worse situation, China crossed off premium liquors on official banquet menu, and slashed extravagance and squander in year-end celebrations, at which liquors were usually served.