Chinese GDP grows 10.2 pct in 1st qtr-President Hu

BEIJING, Apr 16 (Reuters) China's gross domestic product grew 10.2 percent in the first quarter of 2006 from a year earlier, President Hu Jintao said on Sunday.

Hu disclosed the figure, officially due for release on April 20, during a televised meeting with visiting Taiwan politicians.

The economy grew 9.9 percent in 2005 as a whole and in the fourth quarter of 2005 compared with a year earlier.

REUTERS PV GC1734