(Yicai Global) Sept. 14 -- Chinese economists remain optimistic about annual economic growth in the country this year and expect an average increase of 6.7 percent for full-year 2017, according to a third-quarter survey published yesterday by the China Economist, a journal run by the Chinese Academy of Social Sciences' Institute of Industrial Economics.

Some 87.1 percent of the economists polled believe China's annual growth could reach or exceed 6.5 percent, which would mark a rise of two straight quarters.

Those in eastern and central China are more confident, expecting growth of 6.74 percent an 6.71 percent on average, respectively, while those in western regions put the figure at only 6.43 percent.

The survey also shows that economists' confidence in current economic growth has stabilized but dipped in export growth. Those surveyed expect price levels to remain steady.

Declining confidence in trade is mainly due to two reasons, Li Gang, editorial direct of China Economist, told Yicai Global. First, economists widely believe a global economic recovery is still some way away and trade protectionism is rising worldwide. Secondly, the yuan will remain strong through at least the end of the year, which could weigh on exports.

The survey received 219 responses from economists across eastern, central and western China making up 62.2 percent, 21.3 percent and 16.5 percent, respectively.