Chinese economy grows at 9.6% in 2008

That meant growth was 0.6 percentage points higher than the nine per cent announced in January,Peng Zhilong,director-general of the NBS department of national accounts,said at the same news conference.

The Chinese economy,now the worlds third largest,enjoyed a double-digit increase for five years from 2003 before slowing down last year due to the impact of the global financial crisis.

Government officials have said the nation aims to achieve eight-per cent growth in 2010,a target set each year since 2005 and always exceeded,as Beijing maintains pro-growth policies to fight the global downturn.