China will be able to achieve the economic growth target of about 8 percent in 2009, if proper policies and measures are taken, says a government work report to be delivered by Premier Wen Jiabao at the parliament's annual session Thursday.

"As long as we adopt the right policies and appropriate measures and implement them effectively, we will be able to achieve this target," reads the report, distributed to the media before the opening of the Second Session of the 11th National People's Congress (NPC).

It is the fifth year in a row for the country to target an eight-percent growth.

"In China, a developing country with a population of 1.3 billion, maintaining a certain growth rate for the economy is essential for expanding employment for both urban and rural residents, increasing people's incomes and ensuring social stability," says the report.

(Xinhua News Agency March 5, 2009)