China’s Premier Li Keqiang appeared to set a floor for growth in the world’s second-largest economy, saying it will expand at a pace of “at least� 6.5% annually over the next five years. In two separate speeches delivered on Sunday in Seoul, Li signaled that Beijing will set the growth target below this year’s goal of “about 7%,� which looks increasingly difficult to fulfill give a lack of momentum into the year-end. It was the first time China’s leaders have publicly given a figure for annual growth lower than 7% in coming years. “We have capacity to keep annual economic growth at above 6.5% and meet the targets of creating a ‘moderately prosperous society’ by 2020,� he said in a meeting with business leaders in Seoul, according to the state-run Xinhua News Agency. Li’s remark sparked speculation over whether China lowered its economic growth target in its next five-year plan, which was approved by the Communist Party in its key meeting last week.

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