拉下邻国Ashopper(right)/FORCHINADAILYChinacontinuestoleadglobaldemandforgoldjewelryandhassecuredthetopspotinworldwidecentralbankgoldpurchaseslastyear,makingitanimportantforcedrivingglobalconsumptionofthepreciousmetal,astyearasdemandroseby3metrictonsyear-on-yeartostandat2,,achievinga10percentincreaseindemand,whichtotaled630tonsforgoldjewelryin2023,offsettinga6percentdecreaseinIndia,whichrankedsecondworldwide,,Chinas28percentgrowthindemand,whichwas280tonsinallfor2023—combinedwithnotabletotalsinIndia(185tons),Turkiye(160tons)andtheUS(113tons)—offsetplummetingdemandfromEurope,,037tons,almostmatchingthe2022record,fallingjust45tonsshort,theWGCsaid,withcentralbanksfromChina,(LondonBullionMarketAssociation)pmauctiongoldpriceended2023at$2,—$1,—alsoarecord—whichwas8percenthigherthan2022,thecouncilsaid."Weknowthatcentralbanksoftencitegoldsperformanceintimesofcrisisasareasontobuy,whichsuggestsdemandfromthissectorwillstayhighthisyearandmayhelpoffsetaslowdowninconsumerdemand(inothersectors)duetoelevatedgoldpricesandslowingeconomicgrowth(globally),"saidLouiseStreet,,WangLixin,CEOofWGC(China),saidwhilethetraditionalpeaksalesseasonbeforeSpringFestivalcoulddriverobustperformanceinfirst-quartergoldjewelrydemand,persistentlyhighgoldpricesmayexertpressureonChinatin2024,althoughitmightnotreachthe2023levels.