Chinese economy grows 9.5% in six months

China’s huge economy grew by a blazing 9.5% in the first half of 2005, surging ahead despite efforts to ease breakneck growth, the government said today.

The growth rate held steady from last year, falling by just 0.2% from the same period in 2004, the National Bureau of Statistics said. Total gross domestic product between January and June reached 6.7 trillion yuan (€671bn), it said.