The power shortage, which is rare in low-energy-consuming months, has cut a large swath in the country, including important economic powerhouses in the east and south and many provinces in other parts of China.

China, if measured by the number of ships it produces and the number of orders it receives for such vessels, is the foremost shipbuilder in the world.

With an annual growth rate of "20 to 30 percent", outbound direct investment (ODI) will overtake foreign direct investment (FDI) "within three years", a senior Ministry of Commerce official said.

A smaller number of students will take the national college entrance examination in 2011 than did in past years, according to a report released by a website run by the Ministry of Education.

The quality of China's tourism industry needs improvement as the sector has seen a sharp increase in complaints, the Chinese Academy of Social Sciences warned on Wednesday.