Official statistics showed that China' s economy grew by 6.4 percent year-on-year in the first quarter, matching the growth rate recorded in the fourth quarter of last year. Mao Shengyong with the national statistics bureau said the figure shows the 37 progress of China' s economy.The national economy 38 a stable performance with positive growth factors and stronger market expectations and confidence, 39 the momentum of progress in overall stability. According to the preliminary estimation, China' s GDP was 21.34 trillion yuan, about3.18 trillion US dollars, in the first quarter. That represents a(n) 40 of 6.4 percent year-on-year, but 0.4 percentage points lower than the same period last year and 0.2 percentage points lower than 2018,"Mao said. The data suggests consumption has played a prominent role in 41 growth.Growth was also recorded in investment and foreign trade in the first three months of the year."Consumption 42 more than 60percent of the economic growth, and it keeps 43 . 44 the investment structure,overall investment continues to recover.Investment in technological upgrading, high-tech industries, the social sector, and some weak areas has maintained a relatively fast growth. These have all 45 momentum to future development. In foreign trade, the proportion of imports and exports in general trade rose by 1.3 percentage points year-on-year, Mao added.Throughout the first quarter, the employment rate remained stable with the number of newly created urban jobs reaching almost 30 percent of the annual 46