China has said it is on track to hit its growth target of 8 per cent this year, after the economy grew 8.9 per cent in the third quarter. The figure is up from the 7.9 per cent rate seen in the previous quarter and is the country's fastest GDP growth since the third quarter of last year. Separate reports show that industrial production and retail sales also accelerated in September. The economy grew by 7.7 per cent in the nine months to September. Latest figures show that investment, accounting for nearly 88 per cent of GDP growth earlier this year, is playing a vital role in China's growth.