BEIJING - Chinese stocks closed higher on Thursday, with the benchmark Shanghai Composite Index up 0.37 percent to 3,516.83 points.

The Shenzhen Component Index closed 1.43 percent higher at 10,873.62 points.

The combined turnover of these two indices stood at 1.54 trillion yuan (about $215.5 billion), up from 1.44 trillion yuan on the previous trading day.

Stocks related to aircraft manufacturing and textile machinery led the gains, while stocks in the ceramics and water and gas supply sectors suffered major losses.

The ChiNext Index, tracking China's Nasdaq-style board of growth enterprises, gained 1.75 percent to close at 2,269.33 points Thursday.