China’s premier says economic growth is accelerating and the country can hit its 5% target this year

BEIJING (AP) — China's No. 2 leader said Tuesday that economic growth accelerated in the latest quarter and expressed confidence it can hit the ruling Communist Party's official target of 5% for the year. Premier Li Qiang, speaking at a conference in the eastern city of Tianjin, gave no figure for the three months ending in June but said it was faster than the previous quarter's 4.5%. The world's second-largest economy rebounded from 2022's unusually weak 3% growth following the end of anti-virus controls on travel and business activity. But that faded faster than expected. Consumer and factory activity weakened…