Chinese economy expands 9.7% in Q1

China's producer price index (PPI), a main gauge of inflation at the wholesale level, rose 7.3 percent in March from a year ago, the highest in the past 30 months, the statistical agency said on Friday.

PPI was up 0.6 percent from February. The quarterly PPI was up 7.1 percent year-on-year, the National Bureau of Statistics (NBS) said.

China's consumer price index (CPI), a main gauge of inflation, rose by a 32-month high of 5.4 percent in March.

The Chinese Premier Wen Jiabao warned on Wednesday that the country should never lower its guard against inflation, and expected inflation pressure to continue in the coming months due to soaring commodity prices on global markets, higher food and housing prices, and higher labor costs at home.

The purchase prices of major industrial materials increased 10.2 percent in the first quarter year on year, and was up 10.5 percent in March, the NBS said.