China expects its economy to grow around 8 percent in 2010 from a year earlier, said Premier Wen Jiabao at the annual parliament session Friday, expecting a "crucial but complicated" year for economic recovery.

Setting the 8-percent target mainly "aims at ensuring the quality of economic growth, focusing on transformation of economic growth pattern and adjustment of economic structure," said Wen in his government work report to the National People's Congress (NPC).

The increase of consumer price index, a main gauge of the country's inflation, will be held around 3 percent, the premier said.

Although the development environment this year may be better than 2009, China "will still face a complicated situation," Wen said.

The year of 2010 will be a "crucial but complicated" year for China's economic development as the country will continue fighting against the global financial crisis while maintaining a stable and comparatively fast economic growth and accelerating transformation of growth pattern, he said.

Observers, however, said they are sure China will hit the growth target.

"I'm sure China will surpass the 8-percent growth target this year as its industry engine is very strong and the country has recovered from the financial crisis," said Lars Backstrom, Ambassador of Finland in China.

The diplomat was echoed by Peter Trebitsch, a reporter from Hungarian News Agency Corporation. "If China sets 8-percent, it will be," he said.

Zhuang Jian, senior economist with the Asia Development Bank, noted that last year China flexed its entire muscle to meet its eight percent target amid the most difficult year for economic growth, but this year, the goal will be achieved at ease as international and domestic conditions emerge from the worst time.