China will be able to achieve the economic growth target of about 8 percent in 2009, if proper policies and measures are taken, said Premier Wen Jiabao in his government work report to the parliament's annual session Thursday.

Premier Wen Jiabao Thursday called on the nation to strengthen conviction for victory while he envisaged "arduous and formidable" tasks in 2009 as the country tried to keep economic growth amid a global downturn.

"As long as we adopt the right policies and appropriate measures and implement them effectively, we will be able to achieve this target," Wen told the Second Session of the 11th National People's Congress (NPC).

It is the fifth year in a row for the country to target an eight-percent growth, after the economy reported a single-digit growth of nine percent last year.

"In China, a developing country with a population of 1.3 billion, maintaining a certain growth rate for the economy is essential for expanding employment for both urban and rural residents, increasing people's incomes and ensuring social stability," said Wen.

Confidence

"We are fully confident that we will overcome difficulties and challenges, and we have the conditions and ability to do so," the Premier told nearly 3,000 lawmakers at the Great Hall of the People in downtown Beijing.

Wen said the eight-percent target was proposed based on China's need and ability.

"China maintained the growth target at about eight percent for this year despite the global financial crisis," said Yang Yuqing, a NPC deputy and also head of the Development and Reform Commission of Chongqing Municipality.

"It is a demonstration of resolution and confidence of the government in dealing with the crisis," said Yang.

"It is also necessary to keep the country's economic growth at about eight percent, as such target will stabilize and steer the society's anticipation in a proper way," he added.

Many deputies and political advisors who attended the session told Xinhua that the 8-percent target was well-grounded, though might be difficult to achieve.

Jia Kang, president of the Institute of Fiscal Science under the Ministry of Finance, said more room for policy change is still available for the country to further boost the economy.

He added that growth momentum of Chinese economy remained strong and the country has the advantages of a vast and cheap labor force, and a vast consumer market.

To stimulate the economy against the crisis, China announced a 4-trillion-yuan stimulus package last November, slashed interest rates five times since last September, and unveiled support plans for 10 key industries.

Some of the measures are beginning to take effect, and there have emerged some positive signs.

China's manufacturing activity contracted for a fifth straight month in February, but the depth of decline narrowed, and the country's new loans last month continued to grow at a fast pace, suggesting more robust economic activities in China.

Chi Fulin, a political advisor and executive director of the China (Hainan) Reform and Development Research Institute, said there is indeed some difficulty in achieving the target growth, but measures adopted so far are "pretty aggressive".

"There should be no problem in keeping the growth rate at about eight percent this year, as long as no big fluctuations are reported outside the country," Chi said.

Prominent economist and advisor Li Yining told Xinhua that China may attain its targeted 8 percent economic growth, or even higher, this year, and the Chinese economy is also very likely to recover from the crisis before other major economies.