China's GDP climbs 6.9%

China's gross domestic product grew 6.9 percent in the first quarter compared with the same period a year earlier.

It also was an uptick from 6.8 percent growth in the fourth quarter.

"Things are pretty strong at the moment, but it's going to be difficult to sustain this level of growth given how reliant it is on the state, which will have to pull back at some point," said Julian Evans-Pritchard, an economist at Capital Economics.

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