'China economy will turn more to local market'

China's economy will become more dependent on its domestic market even as it opens up further for global trade, former Chongqing mayor Huang Qifan said at the annual International Finance Forum on Saturday.

Foreign trade accounted for 64% of China's economy in 2006 and will gradually decline to about 25%, Huang said at the meeting in Guangzhou. The domestic market will grow as the middle-income population increases, he said.

"The new structure led by the internal circulation doesn't mean involution or 'lying flat'," said Huang, adding that it would help the nation in opening up the economy.