(Yicai Global) March 15 -- China's economy made a strong start to 2017, with consumer goods sales up 9.7 percent annually in January to February to a little over CNY6.1 trillion, official statistics show, prompting insiders to suggest that the country could outperform this year's gross domestic product growth target of 6.5 percent.

The country's value-added industrial growth among companies above the designated size was 7.2 percent in the first two months compared to last year, 0.9 percent point higher annually, said National Bureau of Statistics spokesperson Mao Shengyong during a Two Sessions press conference in Beijing, describing China's economy as aggressive so far this year.

Fixed asset investment grew steadily while private investment growth picked up, and imports and exports grew rapidly with the trade surplus reaching CNY362.2 billion, up 37.2 percent.

Sales of commercial housing rose 15.3 percent from last year in the first two months, though the total sales area only grew by 4.1 percent.

"China's economic structure will continue to become optimized and the macroeconomy will remain better than expected in 2018," said Liu Zhe, vice president at the WANB Institute.