China revises first-quarter growth to 9.8%

China has revised its gross domestic product growth in the year through the first quarter to 9.8 per cent from 9

China has revised its gross domestic product growth in the year through the first quarter to 9.8 per cent from 9.7 per cent previously.

It was the third straight quarter of annual growth over 9 per cent despite government efforts to cool the economy, including raising bank reserve requirements three times and curbing unwanted fixed asset investment projects.

China 's GDP, the broadest measure of economic activity, grew 9.1 per cent in 2003 and is widely expected to grow around 9 per cent this year amid fears of resurgent inflation.

Taking aim at sceptics, China has started revising growth numbers from this year when necessary in a move to make its statistics more reliable.

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In China 's first revision of GDP data in January, the State Statistical Bureau said growth in the year through the third quarter of 2003 was 9.6 per cent rather than the 9.1 per cent originally reported.