BEIJING - Chinese stocks closed higher on Wednesday, with the benchmark Shanghai Composite Index closing flat at 3,472.93 points.

The Shenzhen Component Index closed 0.35 percent higher at 14,151.15 points.

The combined turnover of stocks covered by the two indices stood at 743.5 billion yuan (US$114.3 billion), down from 845.6 billion yuan on the previous trading day.

Companies in the liquor and medical cosmetology sectors were among the biggest winners, while stocks related to automobiles and steel led the losses.

The ChiNext Index, tracking China's NASDAQ-style board of growth enterprises, gained 0.72 percent to close at 2,916.97 points.