China's economy to see mild pickup: expert

XIAMEN - China's economic growth is expected to see a mild pickup at the end of this year that will provide room for structural adjustments, Ba Shusong, a researcher with the State Council Development Research Center, said Sunday at the ongoing 16th International Fair for Investment and Trade being held in southeast China's city of Xiamen.

Ba said that with China's pro-growth policies gradually taking effect, the economy has bottomed out and will see mild expansion this year and next year.

He also predicted that China's inflation, which rebounded to 2 percent in August, will gradually climb due to easing monetary policies.

"The inflationary pressure for this year will not be high, but for next year, the rate will reach between 3 to 4 percent," he said.

Ba said inflation and industrial overcapacity concerns have prevented the government from issuing a stimulus plan, as it did during the 2008 global financial crisis.

"The government should leave time for an industry reshuffle and structural adjustments," he said.

Regarding recent infrastructure investment plans, Ba said China needs to rely on investment to shore up growth, adding that reasonable input in infrastructure is necessary to meet the demands of China's rapid urbanization.

"The key lies in efficient investment," he added.