The volume of power consumption in China continued to dip in the first two months of this year but the downward pace was slower, said the Industry and Information Technology Minister Li Yizhong on Tuesday.

Combined power use in January and February fell 3.7 percent from the same period of last year, compared with a year-on-year drop of 17.5 percent last November and 8.7 percent in December, Li said at a press conference during the annual parliament session.

When replying to a journalist seeking his comment on a reported 4 percent year-on-year rise in February power use, Li said the figure was yet to be formally released by the National Bureau of Statistics but "the 4 percent figure was generally right".

However, the monthly rebound in February was not comparable as the Spring Festival holiday, which subdues industrial activity, fell in February last year but in January this year, said Li.

The "obviously slowed slump" shows "some positive signs" have emerged in the economy but the situation remains "grim" and the industrial sector is still "in a very difficult situation", he said.

"We must not treat the difficulties lightly or easily talk about a recovery," said Li.

(Xinhua News Agency March 10, 2009)