China Next Largest Economy in the World

[MikeLigalig.com]

China says its economy expanded by 8.7% in 2009, exceeding even the government's own initial expectations.

The pace of change increased as the year went on, with growth in the final quarter of 2009 increasing by 10.7% from 2008.

It is a major turnaround for an economy that was hit by the global downturn just a year ago.

China is now on course to overtake Japan and become the world's second-biggest economy.

Japan announces its latest GDP figures next month. Its economy is likely to have contracted by around 6% in 2009. - bbc news