Official upbeat on steady 2018 growth

China's economy is set to continue its steady run for the rest of the year despite lingering market headwinds, said Ning Jizhe, deputy head of the National Development and Reform Commission.

Ning, who's also head of the National Bureau of Statistics, said the rise of protectionism and unilateralism, as well as fluctuations in global financial and commodity markets, will inevitably affect China, as the country has already become highly integrated with the world economy since it promoted reform and opening-up 40 years ago.

The economy, however, is on track to reach its annual growth target, which is evident from four major indicators - the overall economic growth rate, employment rates, prices and the balance of payments, Ning said in a recent interview.