BEIJING, July 15 -- China's GDP expanded 6.3 percent year on year in the first half of 2019 to about 45.09 trillion yuan (about 6.56 trillion U.S. dollars), data from the National Bureau of Statistics (NBS) showed Monday.

The growth was in line with the government's annual target of 6-6.5 percent set for 2019.

In the second quarter, the country's GDP rose 6.2 percent year on year, lower than 6.4 percent in the first quarter, according to NBS data.

The economic performance was generally stable and remained within a reasonable range, with progress being made in certain areas, NBS spokesperson Mao Shengyong told a press conference.

A breakdown of the data showed output of the service sector, which accounted for 54.9 percent of the total GDP, rose 7 percent in the first half of the year, outpacing a 3-percent increase in the primary industry and a 5.8-percent rise in the secondary industry.

Consumption continued to play a bigger role in driving economic growth, with final consumption contributing to 60.1 percent of economic expansion in the January-June period.