Reuters reports

The downward pressure on China’s economy has intensified since the start of 2015 but the economy remains resilient, the National Bureau of Statistics said.

Letting the economy slow appropriately could force companies to restructure and climb up the value chain, the bureau said.

The bureau also said its survey-based unemployment rate was around 5.1 per cent in February, holding relatively steady.

Data showed growth in China’s investment, retail sales and factory output all missed forecasts in January and February and fell to multi-year lows, leaving investors with little doubt that the economy is still losing steam and in need of further support measures.