Nation confident of achieving 2019 industrial output target

Firms attaching greater importance to technology-driven expansion

China is confident of achieving its annual industrial growth target of 5.5 to 6 percent year-on-year in 2019, as the nation works hard to boost the high-quality development of manufacturing, despite trade friction with the United States, the nation's top industry regulator said on Tuesday.

Xin Guobin, vice-minister of industry and information technology, said: "Industrial output rose by 6 percent in the first half, hitting the upper line of our annual growth target range, signifying stable performance and beating our expectations, given the challenges we face."