China's gross domestic product would increase 8.4 percent this year, making the country's goal of 8 percent within reach, the World Bank on Wednesday  said in its latest update on China's economy. It also projected sustainable and robust growth in 2010.

The bank advised China put more emphasis on consumption and services rather than investment and industry with an aim of achieving balanced and sustainable economic development.

Yao Jingyuan, chief economist of the National Bureau of Statistics (NBS), Thursday told a forum in Beijing that 8% growth was no longer a problem for China's economy this year, but the real challenge was to push forward structural adjustments.

"We should not pursue economic expansion in terms of size and speed in the fourth quarter or the next year, but put more efforts on structural adjustments."  He urged more efforts to boost consumption as the economic growth should rely on domestic demand.