China will maintain a proactive fiscal policy in 2018 despite a lower deficit-to-GDP ratio target, the country’s finance minister said on Wednesday. Xiao Jie told a press conference of the first session of the 13th National People’s Congress that the government deficit is projected to be 2.38 trillion yuan (380 billion US dollars), roughly level with last year, while China will increase fiscal expenditure and issuance of local government special bonds.