SCIO press conference on China's national economic performance in 2016, in Beijing on Jan. 20. [Wu Xiaoshan / China SCIO]

China's economy grew 6.7 percent year on year in 2016, the slowest pace of growth in 26 years but still within the government's target range set for the year, official data showed on Jan. 20.

Growth in the fourth quarter came in at 6.8 percent, accelerating from the 6.7-percent rise registered in the third quarter but still the slowest quarterly growth since the global financial crisis, according to data from the National Bureau of Statistics.