From International Herald Tribune (link)
President Hu Jintao of China said Sunday that his country’s economy grew at the rate of 10.2 percent in the first quarter of this year, a pace of expansion that could force Chinese officials to take action to prevent the economy from overheating.
Hu disclosed the growth rate – the strongest posted in three years – during a meeting Sunday with Lien Chan, the former chairman of Taiwan’s opposition Nationalist Party. The official data had not been scheduled for release until Thursday.
The surge may further alarm the United States and other countries worried about job losses and commodity prices and as China’s export economy roars ahead. Hu is scheduled to travel to the United States on Monday and meet Thursday with President George W. Bush, who is expected to press China to improve the protection of intellectual property and allow a faster rate of appreciation for its currency against the dollar.
