BEIJING -- Former World Bank chief economist Justin Yifu Lin reaffirmed his assertion that China can maintain an 8-percent annual growth for another 20 years.

Lin said he was not talking big, as China's economy has great potentials in capitalizing on the late-mover advantages.

"Should such advantages as a late mover be fully capitalized on, China might continue to maintain an 8-percent annual growth for 20 more years," Lin, a professor with Peking University, said in a speech on China's economic outlook and challenges on Friday.

Lin said a sound government financial status, a large number of programs with high return on investment, high civilian bank deposits and foreign exchange reserves are beneficial to the economic growth in short terms.

He however pointed out that China is still facing multiple challenges such as urban-rural gap, income gap, backwardness in social development, resource-environment conflicts, unbalanced foreign trade, overheated investment, education, technological and creative capability, corruption, as well as legal and political mechanisms.

"Whether China could maintain continuous economic growth relies on if these challenges could be addressed," Lin said.