Good signs for expansion in H2, says economist

Editor's note: China's gross domestic product expanded at a rate of 6.9 percent in the first half of this year. In a series of interviews, China Daily asked economists, analysts and business leaders about the prospects for economic growth in the country. Below is an interview with Xu Hongcai, an economist with the China Center for International Economic Exchanges.

Q: What were the most encouraging signs in the Chinese economy in the first half of 2017? What impressed you most about the macroeconomic data currently available for the first half of this year?

A: There are a couple of indicators reflecting economic recovery. For instance, China's industrial output, a significant economic indicator, witnessed gradual recovery since the beginning of this year. Consumption remained a key driver. Retail sales rose 11 percent in June from a year earlier, the fastest growth pace since December 2015.