China took the rare move of not setting an annual growth target this year after the coronavirus battered the world's second-largest economy and ravaged global growth. Instead, given "great uncertainty" caused by the COVID-19 pandemic, Beijing will "give priority to stabilising employment and ensuring living standards".

-- AFP

China has abandoned setting a target for GDP growth for the first time in decades, citing "great uncertainty" caused by the coronavirus pandemic.

Instead of GDP growth, Li announced other targets including a 3.5 percent increase in inflation, more than 9 million new urban jobs and a registered urban unemployment rate of around 5.5 percent. Beijing will also aim for personal income growth in line with economic growth, and the elimination of poverty among all rural residents.

-- The Guardian