BEIJING - Chinese stocks closed higher on Thursday, with the benchmark Shanghai Composite Index up 0.69 percent to 2,736.02 points.

The Shenzhen Component Index closed 1.19 percent higher at 8,087.60 points.

The combined turnover of stocks covered by the two indices stood at around 627 billion yuan (about $88.33 billion), up from 479.3 billion yuan recorded on the previous trading day.

Shares related to the food processing and manufacturing sector led the gains, while shipbuilding industry players suffered losses.

The ChiNext Index, tracking China's Nasdaq-style board of growth enterprises, gained 0.85 percent to close at 1,546.47 points.