China's CPI hits new 11-year high of 8.7% in February

BEIJING, March 11 (Xinhua) -- China's inflation continued to accelerate, as the Consumer Price Index (CPI) rose 8.7 percent year on year in February, the National Bureau of Statistics (NBS) said on Tuesday.

The figure was the fastest monthly rate in more than 11 years. The major inflationary index once rose by an annual rate of 14.11 percent from 1992 to 1996.

BEIJING, March 9 (Xinhua) -- Chinese President Hu Jintao urged local governments to ensure stable food prices and supply of major farm produce on Sunday.

Hu's remarks came after the country's consumer price index (CPI) scored 4.8 percent last year and an 11-year-high of 7.1 percent in January this year, triggering inflation fears. Full Story

BEIJING, March 5 (Xinhua) -- China said on Wednesday it would strive to keep this year's CPI rise around the 4.8 percent of 2007amid increasing inflationary pressure.

Premier Wen Jiabao, in a report to the First Session of the 11th National People's Congress, said China would "keep structural price increases from turning into significant inflation." Full Story

BEIJING, March 5 (Xinhua) -- Chinese Premier Wen Jiabao admitted on Wednesday the country is facing "increasing inflationary pressures" and the task of holding down inflation is "difficult."

"The current price hikes and increasing inflationary pressures are the biggest concern of the people," Wen said in his report to the First Session of the 11th National People's Congress opening here on Wednesday.