WASHINGTON: The International Monetary Fund (IMF) said yesterday that China's economic growth is projected to slow to about 6.5 percent this year, half the 13 percent growth in 2007 but still a strong performance given the global context.

Two factors are helping sustain the momentum of China's economy "despite the collapse in exports," said the IMF in its latest World Economic Outlook report.

"First, the export sector is a smaller share of the economy, particularly after factoring in its high import content," the IMF said.