Mon, 19 Jan 2026

Mon, 19 Jan 2026 China hits growth goal despite Trump tariffs turmoil

While official figures show China hit its growth target, some analysts have cast doubt on the data.
Economic Growth:
* China's economy grew by 5% last year, meeting its annual growth target
* However, economic growth slowed to a rate of 4.5% in the final three months of 2025 compared to a year earlier
* Some analysts have cast doubt on the accuracy of the data, suggesting that actual growth may be weaker than official figures suggest Demographic Crisis:
* China registered the lowest number of births last year since records began in 1949 (7.9 million)
* The country's population declined for a fourth consecutive year, falling by 3.4 million to 1.4 billion
* Officials are trying to boost birth rates with incentives, but the demographic crisis continues Trade and Exports:
* China reported its largest-ever trade surplus last week ($1.19tn)
* The country's exports were driven by a rise in goods sold to markets outside the US
* China's reliance on exports may be tested this year due to ongoing US tariffs Domestic Economy:
* Beijing is struggling with an ongoing property crisis and rising local government debt
* House prices continued to fall in December, with a 2.7% decline compared to a year earlier
* Property investment fell by 17.2% last year
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