NDRC official rebuffs economic overheating notion

Though China's national economy has surged on an even faster track so far into this year, it offers no ground for the judgment of an overheating economy yet, Bi Jingquan, deputy director of the National Development and Reform Commission, was quoted yesterday as saying.

Despite the 3.5% spike in CPI between the Jan.—Jul. period compared with the same time of last year, the overall prices of consumer goods still remain under control, with no signs of severe inflation.

The original 3% CPI target for this year was set on a predictive and directive basis, tolerant of normal swings on both sides.