"There is absolutely torrid growth taking place in central China," said Daniel Rosen, a principal of the Rhodium Group, a New York-based economic advisory firm.

Accelerating the urbanization of central and western China will push economies there to grow, Vice Premier Li Keqiang said in a speech in February. Boosting domestic demand and moving people into the cities are priorities to maintain China's fast long-term growth, he said.

The Chinese government has said it aims to quadruple per-capita gross domestic product from 2000 to 2020.