BEIJING, Jan 16 (Oana-Xinhua) -- China's economic development this year can maintain the growth rate of last year, Zeng Peiyan, minister in charge of the State Development Planning Commission said Wednesday.

China's economy grew by 7.3 percent in 2001 over the previous year, Zeng said at a press conference here.

He added that China faces many favourable conditions this year for the economic development and will adopt the principle to expand the domestic demand, keep a pro-active fiscal policy and a stable monetary policy this year.

-- Oana-Xinhua