Industrial output to drag economic growth in 2016

Minister warns of 'long-term struggle' as country shifts to higher-quality future

Industrial output could well be the millstone for China's economic growth this year, an industry watchdog said on Thursday.

The annual expansion rate for industrial output will be around 6 percent this year, well below this year's GDP growth, which is likely to be about 7 percent, the Ministry of Industry and Information Technology said, adding that such a situation was happening for the first time in nearly two decades.