Local Gov'ts Aim for Higher Growth Rate than Central Gov't

A number of Chinese local governments aimed for higher economic growth rates for the period from 2006 to 2010 than the national target, according to a latest report issued by the Beijing Academy of Social Sciences.

The 2007 report on the regional development in China says the average GDP growth rate set by the local governments for the 11th Five-Year Plan period (2006-2010) is 2.4 percentage points higher than the 7.5 percent set by the central government.

Twenty-two provinces and cities have set their GDP growth rates higher than 10 percent and four of them for over 12 percent.

Provinces in northeast China set the highest growth rates, while those in the western regions aimed the lowest, says the report.

In March 2006, the Chinese government set the country's GDP growth rate at an annual average of 7.5 percent in its 11th five-year plan for the economic and social development.

Although China's GDP has grown over 10 percent for four years, the country plans to lower the index to eight percent in 2007, according to the government work report delivered by Premier Wen Jiabao at the ongoing session of the National People's Congress (NPC), the top legislature.

(Xinhua News Agency March 12, 2007)