SHANGHAI: The World Bank has predicted China’s GDP growth will slow to 6.4 per cent in 2018, down from 6.9 per cent during the first three quarters of 2017.
The forecast was released in the bank’s latest China economic update where it predicted growth would drop even further to 6.3 per cent in 2019.
The numbers reflect signals from within China, including from President Xi Jinping, that growth may soon take a backseat to other concerns as the country’s economy continues to slow.
In November, Xi downplayed the importance of GDP growth at the highly influential party congress.
This week, the president and other top leaders are in the midst of setting the country’s economic policy for 2018, including GDP targets, at the Central Economic Work Conference.
The conference, which began on Monday, is being attended by hundreds of delegates from provincial governors to financial regulators, the South China Morning Post reported.
