AKIPRESS.COM - China's economic growth in the first quarter of 2014 made 7.4% exceeding the forecasts.

But it is a slowdown from 7.7% growth in the final quarter of last year.

Other data released with the gross domestic product (GDP) figure showed industrial output rising 8.8% in March from one year ago.

Retail sales for the month of March spiked by 12.2%, underscoring China's efforts to boost economic growth via domestic consumption.

Last year China set its growth target for 2014 at 7.5%, part of efforts to stabilise the economy after years of fast-paced expansion.

China's growth data is closely watched around the region.

A slowdown could hurt Asian economies especially those which export commodities and industrial components to the world's second largest economy, BBC News reported.