The growth of major polluting emissions, meanwhile, has been slowing, the NBS said, indicating strengthened policy enforcement.

China has also built up its infrastructure and has enhanced its industrial equipment to back up the development of core industries, such as energy production, the NBS said.

In 2006, the NBS said, China produced energy in amounts equivalent to 2.2 billion tons of coal, up by 53.7 percent from 2002.

China also saw rapid progress in trade. Its trade volume reached US$1.76 trillion in 2006, the third largest in the world. In 2002, it was the sixth largest.

China's income from international tourism has also grown rapidly, the NBS said.

In 2006, there were 35.6 percent more tourists in China than in 2002. The country recorded US$33.9 billion in revenue from international tourism, 66.5 percent more than in 2002.