Chinese stocks closed higher Thursday led by the liquor-making sector.

The benchmark Shanghai Composite Index closed 0.64 percent higher to end at 3,100.86. The Shenzhen Component Index closed 1.12 percent higher at 10,458.62.

The ChiNext Index, China's NASDAQ-style board, gained 1.4 percent to close at 1,826.79.

Combined turnover on the two bourses stood at 407.5 billion yuan (about 64 billion U.S. dollars), up from 385.2 billion yuan the previous day.

Gainers outnumbered losers 940 to 326 on the Shanghai bourse, and 1,393 to 498 in Shenzhen.

Shares of liquor makers made gains, boosted by solid growth in their first-quarter net profits. Wuliangye Yibin Co. gained 3.62 percent to 73.8 yuan, while Sichuan Swellfun Co. climbed 2.98 percent to 42.18 yuan.