The figures, for regional markets excluding Japan, showed corporate spending on television, newspaper and magazine advertisements in China totalled nearly 37 billion dollars, up 21 percent and accounting for 56 percent of the regional market, Nielsen Media Research said.

"China now sits just behind Japan as the third-ranked advertising economy globally," it said in a statement. As a television advertising market only, China is ranked second globally, it added.

Professional services, tonics and vitamins, and shampoo and hair care products were the most advertised in China, with oral care items posting an 80 percent rise in ad spending.

Nielsen Media Research also identified a rising trend of credit card, whisky and luggage advertising campaigns in China last year.

It attributed this trend to "the changing lifestyle of Chinese consumers who in general have more disposable income than ever before, are more willing to spend and eager to travel."

Gayle Cunningham, executive director for Nielsen Media in China and Hong Kong, said advertising spending in Australia, the Philippines and India also posted strong growth while South Korea, Taiwan and Singapore saw "modest declines."

Television was the main vehicle, accounting for 66 percent of spending, followed by newspapers and magazines.