Beijing: China’s premier expects economic growth of around 6.9 per cent for 2017, as he saw a “better than expected” outlook for the world’s second-largest economy, state media said on Thursday. The authorities will release official gross domestic product figures next week but Premier Li Keqiang has given his own forecast.
“Over the past year, the Chinese economy has been on a stable and favourable development path, with its overall circumstances better than expected,” Li said in a speech on Wednesday at a diplomatic summit in Cambodia, according to the official Xinhua news agency.
The Chinese economy grew 6.7 per cent in 2016 — its slowest pace for more than a quarter of a century.
But the country experienced a rebound in the first half of 2017, posting 6.9 per cent growth over that period, as well as an increase of 6.8 per cent in the third quarter, thanks to soaring credit and investments in infrastructure.
In an effort to stem winter air pollution, authorities in recent months have conducted a massive campaign to shut down polluting factories and slash excess industrial capacity, particularly in the north.
According to analysts, the aggressive campaign might have stalled growth in the fourth quarter, due to the slowdown in industrial production. But Li said: “The annual gross domestic product is expected to grow by around 6.9 per cent.”
His figure is slightly better than the 6.8 per cent forecast by the Chinese Academy of Social Sciences, a top state think-tank. — AFP
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