China's GDP expands 6.9 pct in first 3 quarters

Farmers pack tomatoes at a vegetable base in Xiaomazhuang Township of Luanxian County, north China's Hebei Province, Sept. 21, 2017. China's economy continued its firm growth in the first three quarters of this year, with gross domestic product expanding 6.9 percent year on year to 59.3288 trillion yuan (about 8.9614 trillion U.S. dollars), official data showed Thursday. (Xinhua/Mu Yu)