Figures just released by China's National Bureau of Statistics show China's GDP growth continued to slow to 6.1 percent in the first quarter. But other economic data indicates the economy is beginning to stabilize.
China's economy is slowing. The first quarter 6.1 percent year-on-year GDP growth rate down 0.7 percentage points from the previous quarter. And it's 4.5 percentage points lower year-on-year.
Still, the NBS spokesman says it's not the whole picture.
Li Xiaochao, Spokesman of National Bureau of Statistics said "Positive changes have occurred in our economic situation. The overall performance is better than previously expected."
One positive news is the growth of industrial production has begun to stabilize, a sign of economic activity. Industrial production increased over 8 percent in March, compared to an average 4 percent in the first two months.
Driven by the central government's massive stimulus plan, fixed asset investment in the first quarter surged nearly 30 percent year on year. A similar rise took place in fixed investment in March in urban areas.
Other positive signs include an acceleration in domestic consumption. Retail sales increased 15 percent in the January quarter. That's more than 3 percentage points higher year-on-year. CPI, a major gauge of inflation, decreased just over half a percent in the first quarter. PPI, a measure of inflation in wholesale level, decreased over 4 and a half percent, but with decrease narrowing for three consecutive months.
The NBS spokesman also spelled out the remaining challenges for 2009.
