China can forestall systemic risks: finance minister

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A press conference on reform of fiscal and taxation system and financial work is held during the first session of the 13th National People's Congress in Beijing, capital of China, March 7, 2018. (Xinhua/Shen Hong)

BEIJING, March 7 (Xinhua) -- China is confident of fully forestalling systemic risks, the country's financial minister said here Wednesday.

The country's debt-to-GDP ratio has decreased to 36.2 percent by the end of 2017 from 36.7 percent in 2016, far below the so-called alert line of 60 percent internationally, Finance Minister Xiao Jie said at a press conference on the sidelines of the annual parliamentary session.