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No change in China's macroeconomic policy: NDRC offical

(Xinhua)
Updated: 2009-08-07 16:00

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There would be no change in China's macroeconomic policy amid the world economic downturn, said an official with the country's economic planner on Friday.

Zhu Zhixin, vice minister of the National Development and Reform Commission (NDRC), said at a State Council Information Office conference that the overseas market was still severe, and the country's economic policy direction would remain unchanged.

Although the country's economy has shown signs of recovery, it still faces many difficulties in maintaining stability, he said.

"Any change in the macroeconomic policy would disturb the recovery or rebound momentum, or even perish the previous efforts and achievements," he said. "Efforts to keep a stable and fast economic development is the top priority of the country in the second half."

Boosted by a surge in investment driven by the stimulus, China's annual economic growth quickened to 7.9 percent in the second quarter, up from 6.1 percent in the first quarter and 6.8 percent in the fourth quarter of last year.

When asked whether a large amount of loan extension would result in inflation, Su Ning, vice governor of the People's Bank of China, or the central bank, said the country's moderately easy monetary policy has played an important role in boosting investors' confidence, enlarging domestic consumption, and inflation should not be a current concern.

Chinese banks advanced a record 7.37 trillion yuan ($1.08 trillion) in new loans during the first half of the year, exceeding the full-year target of 5 trillion yuan.

According to statistics from the National Bureau of Statistics, China's consumer price index, a main gauge of inflation, dipped 1.1 percent in the first half from a year earlier. The producer price index, a major measure of inflation at the wholesale level, fell 5.9 percent year-on-year in the first half.