BEIJING - Premier Wen Jiabao voiced confidence on Tuesday that China would continue to enjoy strong economic growth despite energy constraints and environmental woes.
Gross domestic product grew by more than 10 percent a year in the past three years, pushing China above France and Britain into fourth spot in the world economic rankings.
Growth accelerated further to 11.3 percent in the year to June, the fastest clip in more than a decade, prompting the government to tighten credit and curb investment to reduce the risk of overheating.
Asked whether China could engineer a soft landing, Wen said China's commitment to economic restructuring and changing the pattern of economic growth would make Chinese conserve resources and be more environmentally friendly.
"This will put China on a path of achieving people-oriented, comprehensive, coordinated and sustainable development. So we are in a position to ensure continued and fairly fast growth of China's economy for a considerable period of time to come," Wen said.
"We have full confidence in our ability to do so."
Speaking to Reuters and a small group of foreign media ahead of a visit to Europe, he said China's policy of opening up to foreign trade and investment, launched by paramount leader Deng Xiaoping in 1978, had laid a solid foundation for the economy.
Moreover, China's 1.3 billion-strong population meant it had a huge potential market. "To expand domestic demand is a basic policy guiding China's economic development," Wen said.
China's steadily rising level of education and its high savings rate also bode well for future growth.
"China will still face constraints in energy, resources and environmental terms," he said.
The ruling Communist Party has made sustainable development the centrepiece of the country's latest five-year plan, but officials are struggling to meet targets to reduce energy use, improve clean-water supplies and curb pollution.
Story by David Schlesinger and Brian Rhoads
REUTERS NEWS SERVICE
