Economic recovery building up in northeastern provinces

SHENYANG - Economic growth has improved in China's northeastern provinces during the past few months and helped dispel doubts about their outlook for the future.

According to government data, GDP in Liaoning, Jilin and Heilongjiang provinces rose 5.4 percent, 4 percent and 5.1 percent year-on-year, respectively, in the first three quarters, with Liaoning notching up positive growth for seven consecutive quarters and Jilin ending its six-month slowdown with robust growth in the third quarter of this year.

With economic growth accelerating, the provinces have "bottomed out" and entered a new phase of "restorative growth", said Li Kai, deputy director of the Northeast Revitalization Research Institute under Northeastern University.