Forecast for GDP: 6.6% rise for 2017

China's GDP growth is expected to reach 6.6 percent this year, dipping 0.1 percentage point year-on-year, and it will stay within a stable and reasonable growth range, according to a forecast released by the Chinese Academy of Social Sciences on Friday in Beijing.

GDP growth hit 6.9 percent in the first quarter of 2017, and it is forecast to hit 6.7 percent, 6.6 percent and 6.5 percent in the following three quarters, respectively, the report said, based on China's quarterly macroeconomics model.

"The forecast trend is in line with the realities of the supply side and demand side of the economy," said Li Yang, director of the economics department at the academy.