China capable of coping with the unexpected in meeting growth target: economic planner

BEIJING - China is capable of coping with all kinds of unexpected changes to ensure healthy, sound and sustainable economic development, the country's top economic planner said Tuesday.

"China has full confidence in overcoming difficulties and challenges encountered in the development," said Ou Hong, an official with the National Development and Reform Commission, in response to a question on the country's full-year growth target of "around 5.5-percent."

He cited the strong resilience, great potential and ample wiggle room of the Chinese economy, saying that it has already shown marginal improvement in May, with main indicators picking up.

"So far, the epidemic has been effectively curbed in key regions, work resumption has been stepped up, and pro-growth policies have taken effect," Ou said.

Ou noted that the current epidemic situation remains "grave and complicated," pledging efforts to minimize the impacts of COVID-19 on the economic and social development of the country.

China will flesh out policy measures that have already been introduced, Ou said. Priorities will be given to projects such as water conservancy and transportation, as well as the implementation of policies aimed at spurring the consumption of automobiles and home appliances.

The economic planner also highlighted the necessity of ensuring the security of food, energy and industrial and supply chains.

The country will release high-quality coal production capacity in an orderly manner, speed up the construction of key large-scale wind and photovoltaic power bases in desert areas, including the Gobi Desert, and make breakthroughs in key and core technologies, he said.

To get prepared for more challenging headwinds ahead, the top economic planner will enrich and improve its policy toolkits on a regular basis and roll out measures as appropriate, he said.