BEIJING, Nov. 13 -- China's economy continued firm growth, with GDP expanding 6.9 percent year on year in the first three quarters, and 6.8 percent in the third quarter, the ninth straight quarter for China to see economic expansion of at least 6.7 percent, all adding to evidence the economy is on a steady footing.

In Jan-Sept, China's value-added industrial output expanded 6.7 percent year on year, faster than the 6 percent increase a year ago.

Industrial companies with annual revenue of more than 20 million yuan (3 million U.S. dollars) reported profits of 5.58 trillion yuan in the first nine months, up 22.8 percent from a year earlier.

Zhang Liqun, researcher with the State Council's Development Research Center, said economic growth was better than expected and more optimized in structure in the first three quarters of the year, with indicators pointing to progress in employment and income distribution and upgrading of consumer spending and the service sector.

"Both the industrial and service sectors are improving, while consumption has become a major engine for growth, suggesting the 'inherent momentum' of the economy has been enhanced," Zhang said.

China created 10.97 million jobs in the first nine months, 300,000 more than the same period last year. The registered unemployment rate in Chinese cities stood at 3.95 percent at the end of the third quarter, the lowest level since 2008.

China's average per capita disposable income grew 7.5 percent year on year deducting inflation, 1.2 percentage points higher than that for the same period last year.

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