THE sharp plunge of China's economy in 1988 will not recur in spite of the continuing trend of an economic slow-down this year, according to a senior government economist.
Qiu Xiaohua, chief economist of the State Statistics Bureau, admitted that the economic development was at ''a crucial period'' because some economic problems remained severe.
''Some [problems] have already existed for some time. Others have cropped in the course of economic adjustment,'' he said in a Xinhua (the New China News Agency) report.
Mr Qiu indicated that there would be a ''soft landing'' of the economy if macro-economic control measures were imposed appropriately.
But he said ''an appropriate'' pace of economic growth should be maintained, adding that it was necessary to project the growth rate at around eight to nine per cent.
Senior leaders and economists have recently stressed the importance of keeping the momentum of speedy growth of the economy while at the same time maintaining ''minor adjustments'' of the economy.
