China's economic planner expects difficulties ahead

China's domestic economy is set to face increasing headwinds in 2016, and an uncertain global economic situation poses a risk to the country's growth, Beijing's top economic planner said on Sunday. Xu Shaoshi, head of the National Development and Reform Commission, NDRC, said at a briefing in Beijing that China was facing an ever more complicated array of internal challenges. HEAD, NATIONAL DEVELOPMENT AND REFORM COMMISSION, XU SHAOSHI .... "At the moment the speed of our economy is slowing, the price of industrial goods is falling, the profits of private enterprises are falling, fiscal revenues are falling, and what's more there are some risks accumulating in the fiscal sphere. Overall the situation facing our country's development in 2016 will probably be more complicated."

China aims to keep its economy growing by at least 6.5 percent over the next five years, while pushing hard to create more jobs and restructure inefficient industries, Premier Li Keqiang said on Saturday.