BEIJING -- China's economy is expected to remain the strongest engine for world economic growth in 2017, a spokesperson of the top political advisory body said Thursday.

China's economy expanded by 6.7 percent last year, a good start for the country's 13th Five-Year Plan (2016-2020), Wang Guoqing, spokesperson for the fifth session of the 12th National Committee of the Chinese People's Political Consultative Conference, told a press conference.

According to data from the World Bank, China's 2016 growth would account for about a third of world growth, larger than the contribution from any other country.