Meeting plan target 'difficult'

The global financial crisis would make it difficult for the country to achieve its economic targets for 2006-10, which were set when the world economy had a positive outlook, a senior official said yesterday.

Zhang Ping, minister of the National Development and Reform Commission (NDRC), said the global economic downturn posed a "serious challenge" to the country, especially its efforts to realize the social and economic goals set in the 11th Five-Year (2006-10) Plan.

"We have done a good job in 2006 and 2007 but the worsening global financial crisis poses a serious challenge to us in achieving our goals," Zhang said.