Experts: Time for faster shift to services

Quick measures that give services more weight in trade are needed by China, amid mounting concerns that the world's biggest merchandise trader might miss its growth target for a third consecutive year, a senior World Trade Organization official and analysts said.

Customs figures show that China's merchandise trade increased just 0.2 percent in the first five months of the year, far below the full-year target of 7.5 percent.

To meet the target, trade would have to expand by least 11 percent on average for the remainder of the year, according to Liu Xuezhi, a senior researcher at Bank of Communications Ltd.