China's share of global gross output rose to 6 percent at the end of 2007, compared with only 1.8 percent in 1978 when the country embarked on its reform and opening up drive, the National Bureau of Statistics (NBS) announced yesterday.

Blistering economic growth over the last 30 years has lifted China's GDP ranking from 10th in 1978 to fourth after the United States, Japan and Germany.

Economic output was $3.28 trillion in 2007, about 23.7 percent of that of the US, 74.9 percent of Japan's and 99.5 percent of Germany's, said an NBS statement.