China's economic growth improved unexpectedly in the three months ended March, though slightly, figures from the National Bureau of Statistics showed Monday.
Gross domestic product advanced 6.9 percent year-over-year in the first quarter, just above the 6.8 percent rise in the fourth quarter. Meanwhile, economists had expected the growth to remain stable at 6.8 percent.
During the first three months of the year, the national fixed asset investment grew 9.2 percent from a year ago.
The statistical office also revealed that industrial production expanded 7.6 percent annually in March, faster than the 6.3 percent spike expected by economists.
Retail sales surged 10.0 percent yearly in March, exceeding economists' expectations for an increase of 9.6 percent.
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