**China says its economy grew by 8.7% in 2009, and by 10.7% in the final quarter of the year, compared with 2008.**Analysts say it is likely that China has now overtaken Japan as the world’s second largest economy behind the US.
But they say currency fluctuations make it difficult to compare the two nations precisely, and some experts question the accuracy of China’s figures.
Japan announces its latest GDP figures next month. Its economy is likely to have contracted by around 6% in 2009.
The announcement was made by China’s National Bureau of Statistics (NBS).
The figures have exceeded the targets set by the Chinese government, the BBC’s Chris Hogg in Shanghai says.
A government spokesman said the world economic situation remained uncertain so Beijing would keep its policies stable, the Associated Press reports.
China was hit by the world economic crisis during late 2008 and early 2009, but not as badly as other countries.
It recovered with the help of a massive government stimulus package.