BEIJING: China's economic growth accelerated slightly in the final quarter of 2016 but its full-year performance still was the weakest in nearly three decades.
The government reported Friday the world's second-largest economy expanded by 6.8 percent in the fourth quarter over a year earlier, up from the previous quarter's 6.7 percent. Full-year growth was 6.7 percent, down from 2015's 6.9 percent and the weakest since 1990.
The Chinese economy has cooled steadily as communist leaders try to steer it to more sustainable growth based on domestic consumption instead of trade and investment. Beijing has repeatedly used massive infusions of credit to prevent activity from slumping too fast, prompting warnings the country's rapid run-up in debt could lead to a financial crisis or drag on growth.