China on Friday set a modest annual economic growth target, at above 6%, and pledged to create more jobs in cities than last year as the world's second-biggest economy planned a careful course out of a year disrupted by COVID-19.
In 2020, China dropped a gross domestic product growth target from the premier's work report for the first time since 2002 after the pandemic devastated its economy. China's GDP expanded 2.3% last year, the weakest in 44 years but making it the only major economy to report growth.
"As a general target, China's growth rate has been set at over 6% for this year," Premier Li Keqiang said in his 2021 work report. "In setting this target, we have taken into account the recovery of economic activity."