China says economy making steady progress despite weak data

In this Friday, Aug. 5, 2016 photo, cranes work at a construction site near skyscrapers in the Lujiazui financial district of Shanghai. A Chinese official tried Friday, Aug. 12, to reassure companies and investors that China's economic growth is stable despite unexpectedly weak July activity but acknowledged it faces pressure from lackluster global demand. (Chinatopix via AP) (The Associated Press)

In this Monday, Aug. 1, 2016 photo, laborers work at a steel market in Yichang in central China's Hubei province. A Chinese official tried Friday, Aug. 12, to reassure companies and investors that China's economic growth is stable despite unexpectedly weak July activity but acknowledged it faces pressure from lackluster global demand. (Chinatopix via AP) (The Associated Press)

BEIJING – A Chinese official has tried to reassure companies and investors the country's growth is stable despite unexpectedly weak data for July, saying the world's second-largest economy is "making steady progress."

The spokesman for the National Bureau of Statistics said Friday the weakness in factory output, imports and other activity in July was due largely to summer flooding and other one-time factors.

Sheng Laiyun said at a news conference, "The trend is good. Even though economic growth dropped slightly, the economy is stable and making steady progress, and the steady trend toward improvement has not changed."

The weak July data prompted concern growth might be weakening despite repeated government stimulus efforts.