Stress on economy as China holds annual meetings

China's top parliamentary adviser says 2010 will be critical for maintaining growth, creating jobs, and diversifying away from exports, underscoring the economy's central importance as the annual legislative session prepares to open.

Beijing declared that China had emerged from the global crisis after economic growth rebounded to 10.7 percent in the final quarter of 2009. But authorities say the global outlook is still uncertain, amid worries that a stimulus-driven torrent of lending is adding to inflation and fueling a dangerous bubble in stock and real estate prices.

"The year 2010 is a crucial year for China to respond to the impact of the global …