The World Bank Wednesday raised its forecast for China's 2009 gross domestic product growth rate to 8.4% from its earlier forecast of 7.2% due to the success of the government's stimulus measures, said the bank in a quarterly report.

The bank's forecast is higher than the Chinese government's target of 8%, but lower than last year's economic growth rate of 9%.

Despite falling exports amid the global economic recession, China achieved a GDP growth of 8.9% year on year in the third quarter, according to the report.

The Washington-based bank attributed the robust economic growth in the third quarter to an expansion in domestic consumption. To boost economic growth, the Chinese government this year implemented policies to encourage the purchase of low-emission cars and stimulate the property market.

The World Bank also predicted that the world's third-largest economy will grow 8.7% in 2010, whereas in June its estimate was 7.7%.