Slower than expected growth in the first quarter will not prevent China from attaining its annual GDP target, a government spokesman said on Monday.

The economy registered growth of 7.7 percent year-on-year in the first three months, down from 7.9 percent in the fourth quarter of 2012.

Sheng Laiyun, spokesman for the National Bureau of Statistics, said that the first quarter was a "sound and steady" start to the year, and the nation's economic fundamentals have remained strong.