China's economic growth target was never set in stone: Premier Li Keqiang

Beijing had never claimed it would "defend to the death any concrete" target for growth, Premier Li Keqiang said ahead of a Communist Party meeting that starts on Monday to set social and economic goals for the next five years.

The growth in China's economy was a "hard-won achievement" and showed it was capable of overcoming hurdles, Li told the Central Party School in remarks published by state media on Saturday.

Data last week showed the world's second-largest economy had grown 6.9 per cent in the third quarter of the year, falling short of the 7 per cent full-year growth target set by Beijing in March.

It was the weakest in six-and-a-half years, but above economists' forecast of 6.8 per cent.

"We have never said that we should defend to the death any concrete goal, but that the economy should operate within a reasonable range," state media paraphrased Li as telling more than 2,600 officials on Friday. "It's really not that growth has dipped below 7 per cent, rather, this was a hard-won achievement."

Li's remarks come as Beijing prepares to roll out its 13th five-year plan - a Soviet-style blueprint that sets social and economic growth targets.