China's GDP expands 6.9 percent in first half of 2017

China's gross domestic product expanded 6.9 percent year on year in the first half of the year to about 38.15 trillion yuan (5.62 trillion U.S. dollars), data from the National Bureau of Statistics (NBS) showed Monday.

The growth rate is well above the government's target for the year of 6.5 percent, reflecting a firming trend in the nation's economy.

In the second quarter, China's GDP held steady, posting a rise of 6.9 percent year on year, flat from the first quarter.

The service sector expanded 7.7 percent year on year in the first half, outpacing a 3.5-percent increase in primary industry and 6.4 percent in secondary industry, according to the NBS.

On a quarterly basis, the economy increased 1.7 percent in the second quarter from the previous quarter.

China's economy has been operating within a reasonable range, maintaining stable, coordinated and sustainable development, NBS spokesperson Xing Zhihong told a press conference.