China Sees Accelerated Growth in Third Quarter

First time in three quarters

China's economic growth accelerated for the first time in three quarters in the July-September period, data from the National Bureau of Statistics revealed Friday, supporting policymakers' efforts to restructure the economy in order to achieve sustainable growth in the longer-term.

The gross domestic product rose 7.8 percent year-on-year in the third quarter of 2013 in line with expectations. This was faster than a 7.5 percent growth in the second quarter and a 7.7 percent gain in the first quarter.