'Economy off to strong start but challenges remain'

General secretary of the Communist Party of China Central Committee, Xi Jinping, on Tuesday presided over a Politburo meeting to analyse and study the current economic situation and economic work. The meeting heard that the world's second-largest economy was off to a robust start this year, with key indicators beating expectations. But the economy still faces difficulties and challenges, and the foundation for the country's sustained economic recovery needs to be further consolidated, the meeting said. It called for greater efforts and more concrete measures to bolster economic work. Beijing also pledged to strengthen the nation's energy security and respond to external shocks by continuing to pursue a policy of rapid technological development and greater ⁠control over supply chains. The meeting also highlighted the need for high-quality development. The mainland economy grew by 5 percent in the first quarter of the year, and it's projected to expand by 4.5-5 percent for the entire year. (Xinhua/Reuters) Edited by Altis Wong