The growth rate for the year, announced by the commerce ministry, was markedly higher than the 13.6 per cent recorded for 2007.
However, it was slower than the 26.3 per cent rise in the first 11 months of the year, suggesting a significant slowdown in December.
Foreign direct investment is one of the factors driving the rapid growth of China's foreign exchange reserves, which topped US$1.95 trillion at the end of December. -- AFP