Li urges to keep economy growing

Premier calls for pragmatic policies rather than stimulus

Premier Li Keqiang urged governments not to underestimate current economic difficulties and to be "proactive" with "effective policies" when targeting problems that threaten to hold the Chinese economy to its slowest quarterly growth since 2009.

On a fact-finding trip on Friday to Haikou, capital of Hainan province, Li told local officials that maintaining economic expansion will be arduous and local governments must "rise to the occasion" and be "pragmatic" when issuing policies that motivate demand and keep the economy growing reasonably well.