BEIJING: China's economy cooled further in the first quarter, according to an AFP survey of analysts, as Beijing resorted to tried-and-tested measures to combat tepid global demand and a bruising US trade war.
The world's second largest economy expanded by 6.3 per cent in the January to March period, the poll of 13 economists found.The figure remains within the range targeted by the government of 6 per cent to 6.5 per cent for the whole year, down from 6.6 per cent last year. To combat the slowdown, Beijing has stepped up support for the economy in recent months, announcing massive tax cuts and other fee reductions to help struggling companies.
Last month, Chinese Premier Li Keqiang acknowledged"downward pressure" but vowed not to let the economy"slip out of a reasonable range".