NBS Deputy Director Qiu Xiaohua told a press conference that this growth rate was 0.3 percentage point higher year-on-year.

China's gross domestic product (GDP) reached 7.1682 trillion yuan (US$866 billion) in the first three quarters of this year, up 7.9 percent year-on-year.

During the period, China saw a total of 2.5838 trillion yuan (US$312 billion) in fixed asset investment, up 21.8 percent year-on-year. Investment in capital construction and in the real estate sector rose 24.6 percent and 29.4 percent, respectively.

Industrial production grew by 13.8 percent to 282.5 billion yuan, surpassing a government target of 10-percent growth.

Foreign direct investment (FDI) in China jumped 22.6 percent during the first three quarters of this year to US$39.6 billion and it is expected to exceed US$50 billion this year due to the improved FDI environment, according to Qiu.

Meanwhile, total foreign trade volume in China surged 18.3 percent to US$445.1 billion during the period, with exports rising 19.4 percent to US$232.6 billion, the highest ever this year.

Per capita income for urban residents reached 5,793 yuan (US$698s) from January to September, up 17.2 percent, while that of rural residents increased 5.3 percent to 1,721 yuan (US$207).

(china.org.cn October 17, 2002)