BEIJING, Dec. 22 (Xinhua) -- China's domestic demand will continue to grow next year, with fixed asset investment up 25 percent from a year earlier and retail sales up 18.5 percent, the State Information Center (SIC) forecast in a report issued Tuesday.

    However, domestic consumption may not grow as quickly as this year considering the inflationary expectations, the SIC stated.

    China's urban fixed-asset investment rose 32.1 percent year on year in the first 11 months to 16.86 trillion yuan (2.47 trillion U.S. dollars), while China's retail sales rose 15.8 percent year on year to 1.13 trillion yuan in November, according to data released earlier this month by the National Bureau of Statistics.

China pins hope on accelerating urbanization to boost domestic demand

    BEIJING, Dec. 10 (Xinhua) -- Urbanization will play a significant role in China's efforts to boost domestic demand, which economists believe should be a major driving force for the sustainable development of Chinese economy.

    This was a signal sent from the three-day central economic work conference that was held from weekend to Monday to set tune for the nation's economic growth and social development in the coming year. Full story

China expands domestic demand to counter financial crisis: president

    SINGAPORE, Nov. 13 (Xinhua) -- Chinese President Hu Jintao said here Friday a stimulus package aimed at lifting domestic consumer demand had underpinned China's efforts to counter the international financial crisis.

    "We adopted a stimulus package and relevant policies and measures, and have improved them in the course of their implementation," the Chinese president told the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) CEO Summit. "Our focus in countering the crisis is to expand domestic demand, especially consumer demand." Full story

Special Report:  Global Financial Crisis