China economy under downward pressure: finance minister

China's Finance Minister Lou Jiwei speaks at a news conference in Beijing March 6, 2015.[Photo/Agencies]

BEIJING - The country's economy is stabilizing and recovering, but still facing significant downward pressure, Chinese Finance Minister Lou Jiwei said on Wednesday.

Speaking at a national financial work conference, Lou said the ministry will continue to ensure funds to the construction of major projects to offer fiscal support, while cutting tax and administrative fees to lower companies' costs.

China's economy posted a better-than-expected growth of 7 percent in the second quarter of the year. The growth, though unchanged from the first quarter, was its lowest level since the global financial crisis.

Lou said the ministry will continue to promote a public-private partnership (PPP) model for investment, regulate local government debt and promote "market-oriented transformation" of local government financing vehicles in order to turn these local government-backed investment bodies into independent entities.

He also urged further advances in the country's tax reforms, which includes replacing turnover tax with value-added tax and implementing consumption tax and resource tax reforms.