The number of invention patents applied for in China increased by more than 20 percent this year, exhibiting the fastest growth rate for that activity seen anywhere in the world.
Improving the living conditions of low-income families, especially those of miners and foresters, has been a high priority on the agenda of China's central leadership during recent years and Vice-Premier Li Keqiang has paid numerous visits to shantytown families across the country, including a trip to Datong in 2009.
The central government invested 73 billion yuan in housing projects for slum residents from 2007 to 2011 and more than 10 million low-income households have moved to government-subsidized apartments measuring at least 45 square meters.
The two growing headaches for China's huge migrant working population are the inadequate social security and payment for working overtime, a Party congress delegate who is a lawyer said on Sunday.
A government crackdown in recent years has helped reduce cases of employers defaulting on wages, something that has plagued the 250 million farmers-turned workers, Tong Lihua, who provides legal aid to the migrant population, said on the sidelines of the 18th Party Congress.
The country's imports and exports grew by less than 7 percent in the first 10 months, making it almost impossible to reach an annual growth rate of 10 percent, Minister of Commerce Chen Deming said on Friday.
"China's exports in September grew 9.9 percent and rose a bit more than 11 percent in October, but this only suggests a lukewarm recovery and I think it is very difficult to achieve the annual target of 10 percent (trade growth) for this year," Chen told reporters.
Chinese consumers' confidence stabilized in the third quarter, due to lower inflation across all categories and double-digit disposable income growth.
Chinese people deem income the most important factor that determines their happiness and confidence about the future, a survey has found.
China Youth Daily polled more than 11,400 people nationwide and found 53 percent are confident about their lives over the next 10 years and they expect more income to help sustain such confidence.
More than 70 percent of people surveyed were between 23 and 42 years old, 30 percent earn less than 3,000 yuan ($480) a month and nearly 40 percent earn 3,000 to 10,000 yuan a month.
China's explosive e-commerce landscape is increasingly attracting fast-turnover foreign brands as they step up extending their footprints via online stores to capitalize on the fertile market.
The decade since the 16th National Congress of the Communist Party of China in 2002 has been an extraordinary period of growth. The world is undergoing extensive and profound changes, and the country is also going through a wide-ranging and deep transformation.
China's economic strength has increased substantially, and major breakthroughs have been made in reform and opening-up. Both urban and rural incomes have risen considerably. Living standards are significantly higher, and China has increased its involvement and cooperation with other countries in a number of fields. It has also started to play a major role in international affairs.
Large Chinese banks' balance sheets remain strong despite their rapid international expansion in recent years, Standard & Poor's said.
The Chinese economy regained some manufacturing momentum, according to the purchasing managers' index, which indicated an expansion in factory output.
The PMI hit 50.2 in October, up from 49.8 in September and 49.2 in August, the National Bureau of Statistics said on Thursday. A reading above 50 indicates an expansion in manufacturing.
The upturn may provide fuel for more robust business policies in the coming months, economists said.
Foreign bakery chains are accelerating their expansion into China, as local hunger grows for freshly baked bread, cakes and pastries.
A group of new mainstream customers is emerging in China, rapidly advancing in size and purchasing power, a report released by Mckinsey & Co said.
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