8% GDP growth goal for 2009 achievable - former banker

By Ding Qi and Tong Hao (chinadaily.com.cn)
Updated: 2009-07-04 10:24

China's GDP growth in the second quarter of this year will be higher than that of the first quarter, and the 8-percent growth target set for this year is likely to be achieved, a former central bank governor said Friday.

"The BRIC countries (Brazil, Russia, India and China) will continue to be the fastest-growing countries in the world," said Dai Xianglong, former head of the People's Bank of China, the central bank, on the sidelines of the Global Think Tank Summit in Beijing.

"China's economic growth in the second quarter will be faster than the first quarter, and with efforts China can attain its goal of 8 percent growth for the whole year," he said.

Full coverage:  Global Think Tank Summit Related readings:  Global Think Tank Summit opens in Beijing  Global Think Tank Summit  Premier meets dignitaries ahead of think-tank summit  Work most vital for think tanks  About Global Think Tank Summit

"During the past 30 years, average annual growth of China's economy was higher than 9 percent, but it's hard to achieve that rate in the coming decade," he said. He didn't give his forecast for the country's GDP growth for the next decade.

It will be desirable if China's GDP grows 7 percent in the next year, given the unfavorable world economic situation, according to Dai.

Dai is currently the chairman of the National Council for Social Security Fund of China.

China's GDP grew 6.1 percent in the first quarter this year, the slowest growth in more than a decade.

In June, the World Bank's report estimated China's GDP will grow by 7.2 percent in 2009.

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