Economists say China’s first-half GDP likely to top 5% target

Financial policy: People walk through the central business district in Beijing. China has announced a series of measures to boost demand, including the issuance of US$138bil worth of ultra-long-term special treasury bonds. — AFP

BEIJING: China’s economy will likely expand by over 5% in the first half of this year amid strong policy stimulus, robust industrial production and stable external demand, providing a solid base for achieving its annual growth target of around 5%, economists say.

Looking into the second half of the year, they said the economy is on track for stable growth thanks to strong manufacturing performance, resilience in exports and stepped-up macroeconomic policy support.