From infrastructure spending to big profits at firms controlled by the central government, Beijing was more assertive with the economy last year.
BEIJING—China’s economy expanded a hefty 6.9% last year, the first growth acceleration in seven years, though the roaring property market and infrastructure spending that helped drive the pickup showed signs of flagging.
The pace of growth for 2017 beat market expectations and ticked up from the 6.7% reached in 2016, bucking a slowing trend that began in 2011.
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