China’s economy has sustained the momentum of steady progress and will maintain sound growth in 2018, an official from the National Bureau of Statistics of China (NBSC) said on Dec.14.

“China’s economic growth remains positive in 2017, with stable employment and commodities prices, as well as optimized economic structure and improved quality and efficiency,” NBSC spokesperson Mao Shengyong told chinanews.com, adding that the economy will continue to grow steadily in 2018.

According to statistics released by NBSC, China’s total value of imports and exports reached 2.6 trillion RMB in November, a year-on-year increase of 12.6 percent. Specifically, the total value of exports was 1.4 trillion RMB, up by 10.3 percent, and that of imports was 1.1 trillion RMB, up by 15.6 percent, leaving a trade surplus of 263.6 billion RMB.

“Generally speaking, the national economy in November maintained the momentum of stable and sound development and showed strong stability and resilience. However, we should be aware that there are still many risks and uncertainties abroad, and great challenges exist for high-quality development,” added Mao.

The Ministry of Commerce also expressed confidence for China’s economy in 2018, noting that despite U.S. tax reform, China will remain in its position as a hotspot for foreign investment.

“China has a relatively comprehensive industrial chain and educated workers. The domestic market has great potential, while the government has been trying to improve the investment environment,” said Ministry of Commerce spokesperson Gao Feng.

“China will deepen its economic reform and keep opening up,” he added. “We have faith that our country will remain attractive to foreign investors.”