Beijing: China's government announced a robust annual economic growth target on Tuesday at a legislative session overshadowed by a tariff war with Washington.
Premier Li Keqiang, the country's top economic official, set this year's growth target at 6 to 6.5 percent, reflecting official determination to shore up a cooling, state-dominated economy and prevent politically dangerous job losses in the face of US tariff hikes and weaker global demand.
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It is off slightly from last year's 6.6 percent growth, a three-decade low, but would be among the world's strongest if achieved.
In a speech to the National People's Congress, Li also warned that the second-largest economy faces a "graver and more complicated environment" and risks that "are greater in number and size".
He pledged higher spending on technology development the ruling Communist Party sees as a path to prosperity and global influence and more money for education, social programs and public works construction.
In a bid to defuse US and European complaints the Chinese system is rigged against foreign companies, Li promised that they will be "treated as equals" with Chinese competitors.
A gathering of non-communist groups held at the same time draws tech billionaires, movie stars and ethnic minorities to the Chinese capital.
Li, the No. 2 leader in the ruling party behind President Xi Jinping, said Beijing will spend more on technology development, including artificial intelligence, electric cars, biotechnology and new materials.
China's emergence as a competitor in smartphones, telecom equipment, solar power and other technologies has increased the range of products available to consumers and helped to drive down prices.
But it rattles Washington and other governments that worry Chinese competition is a threat to their industries and employment.
The two-week gathering of the congress's 3,000-plus delegates in the cavernous Great Hall of the People is China's highest-profile event of the year but does little lawmaking work. Instead, it serves as a platform to highlight plans for the year and set the tone for government work.
(Inputs from AP)
