China’s second-highest leader said Tuesday that his country’s economy had grown “around 5.2 percent” last year, providing an unusual early glimpse of important economic data a day before its official release.
Speaking at the World Economic Forum in Davos, Switzerland, Premier Li Qiang, the second-highest official in China after Xi Jinping, said that China had beat its target last year of economic growth of about 5 percent.
He also insisted that China had managed to expand the economy without using risky or short-term measures, like large spending or credit programs.
“In the course of economic development, we have held to avoiding major stimulus, and have not sought short-term growth at the price of accumulating long-term risks,” he said.
Mr. Li’s comments were consistent with publicly available estimates of economic growth for last year.
Persons:
China’s, Premier Li Qiang, Xi Jinping, ”, Li’s
Organizations:
Economic, “
Locations:
Davos, Switzerland, Premier, China, Beijing