China will be unable to maintain the fast pace of industrial output growth seen in the first two months of the year, industry minister Li Yizhong said on Friday.

Industrial output in January-February rose 20.7 percent from the same period a year earlier.

Speaking at a news conference on the sidelines of China's annual session of parliament, Li also said that the economic burst delivered by the country's stimulus package, which was launched in late 2008, had nearly run its course.

"Last year's base figure was too low so this year's year-on-year growth appears to be very high but we can't be blindly optimistic about this," he said.

"Investment is the most direct and effective of measures but it seems to be coming to an end," he said.

"The central government can't use more money to invest in infrastructure and manufacturing. The growth rate is already high so the key is to adjust the structure of investment."