Chinese stocks closed higher on Tuesday with the benchmark Shanghai Composite Index up 0.35 percent to close at 3,290.64.

The smaller Shenzhen Component Index closed 0.08 percent higher at 11,077.8.

Combined turnover on the two bourses stood at 402.2 billion yuan (63.6 billion U.S. dollars), expanding from 396.9 billion yuan the previous trading day.

Over 1,600 stocks gained on the two bourses with the medical equipment sector leading the rise.

Shanghai Fosun Pharmaceutical saw its share price increase 5.45 percent to 46.99 yuan, while Guizhou Yibai Pharmaceutical surged by the daily limit of 10 percent.

Bucking the trend, shares in home appliance producers lost, with Hangzhou Robam Appliances down 2.52 percent to 37.9 yuan.

The ChiNext Index, which tracks China's NASDAQ-style enterprises, gained 1.18 percent to close at 1,864.62 Tuesday.