China collected 1.05 trillion yuan ($162.64 billion) of social insurance fund in the first half of 2011, up 26.6 percent from the same period last year, the China Business News reported on Tuesday, citing data from the Ministry of Human Resources and Social Security.

The fund spent 840.92 billion yuan during the first half, up 21 percent year-on-year.

According to Yin Chengji, the spokesman of the ministry, more people were covered by the social insurances, including pension, basic health, and unemployment, work injury and maternity insurances, during the past year.

The report said because the social insurance fund is only allowed for deposits or investing on the national debt, its outcome was very low, with less than 2 percent yield.

Experts have called for looser regulation on investment of the social security fund. Since inflation in China has kept to a high level, the 2 percent yield is a loss for the insurance payers' welfare.