China to slightly ease monetary policy in 2013 (2)

Authorities also have room to change the country's fiscal policy, as the fiscal deficit remains low in comparison to China's GDP, said Fan Jianping, chief economist at the State Information Center, a government think tank.

Other economic indicators are expected to improve slightly from last year, with fixed-asset investment expected to rise by about 22 percent in 2013, greater than the year-on-year growth of 20.7 percent recorded in the first 11 months of 2012.

Value-added industrial output is likely to expand by 10.5 percent in 2013, the researchers noted, up slightly from the 10-percent rate recorded in the first 11 months of last year.

Retail sales adjusted for inflation will increase at nearly the same pace as last year, while foreign trade will maintain slow growth of around 7.8 percent, the researchers said.