Beijing - China on Monday reported a 9-per-cent growth in its estimated gross domestic product for July to September, maintaining fast but marginally slower expansion despite global financial woes.

Estimated GDP growth was down from 10.6 per cent in the first quarter and 10.1 per cent in the second quarter of this year, the National Bureau of Statistics said.

Bureau spokesman Li Xiaochao said the global financial crisis and economic recession had begun to have a "negative impact" on China.

But GDP still grew 9.9 per cent year-on-year to reach 20.163 trillion yuan (2.96 trillion dollars) for the first nine months of 2008, Li told reporters.

The official Xinhua news agency quoted government economist Yao Jingyuan as saying China's continued growth was a "hard-earned achievement" in the face of the global economic climate.

"It was achieved on the basis of the current macro-control efforts," the agency quoted Yao as saying.

Li said the consumer price index, the main measure of inflation, rose by 4.6 per cent in September, continuing a decline from a 12-year high of 8.7 per cent in February.

The State Council, or cabinet, on Sunday said global financial turmoil would have a gradual effect on China and the government would "adopt flexible and cautious macroeconomic policies" to maintain growth.

"Unfavourable international factors and the serious natural disasters at home have not changed the basic growth situation of our country's economy," the State Council said in a statement after an economic meeting led by Premier Wen Jiabao.

"Our country's economic growth has the ability and vigour to resist risks," the statement said.

China would focus on developing rural areas and measures to encourage more loans for small businesses for the rest of this year, it said.

China reported growth of 11.9 per cent in estimated GDP last year, its fastest growth since 1994. (dpa)