The Mainland’s GDP growth this year will be slightly higher than 6.7 percent, according to the National Development and Reform Commission.

The chief economist at the commission’s Academy of Macroeconomics Research, Chen Dongqi, told the Reuters news agency that economic stimulus measures had led to higher growth in the fourth quarter and this year.

Mr Chen expects next year’s economic growth to reach the higher-end of a range from 6.5 percent to 7 percent – this year’s official target. In the first three quarters of this year, the Mainland’s economy grew by 6.7 percent.

Mr Chen said a weaker yuan would increase demand for China’s exports and he forecast 4 percent growth in exports next year.

In the first 10 months of this year, exports were down by 2 percent compared to the same period last year.