China's consumer price index (CPI) rose 3.3 percent in March compared with a year ago, Li Xiaochao, spokesman with the National Bureau of Statistics, said on Thursday.

The index, a main gauge of inflation, is the highest in 25 months after it hit 3.9 percent in February 2005.

Li said in a news press conference that the consumer price inflation in the first quarter of this year climbed 2.7 percent, 1.5 percentage points higher compared with the same period last year.

He added the CPI in March was 0.3 percent lower compared with February.

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