BEIJING (REUTERS) - China's economy is forecast to grow 7.5 per cent this year after likely growing by 7.7 per cent in 2012, a senior official from China's powerful economic planning agency was quoted by state news agency, Xinhua, as saying on Friday.

Xinhua said on Weibo - China's version of Twitter - that Mr Zhang Xiaoqiang, deputy head of the National Development and Reform Commission, was speaking at a financial forum.