China's economy grew 5% last year, matching the government's target, but in a lopsided fashion, with many people complaining of worsening living standards as Beijing struggles to transfer its industrial and export gains to consumers.

China's economy expanded at a 5% annual pace in 2024, slower than the year before but in line with Beijing’s target of “around 5%” growth, thanks to strong exports and recent stimulus measures. The economy picked up speed in the last quarter,

Analysts say they see signs of malaise in China’s domestic economy, but those problems were offset mainly by robust exports and a $1 trillion trade surplus.

Beijing hit its GDP growth target of 5 percent in 2024, according to its statistics bureau—but deflationary pressures remain.

China’s population has fallen for the third straight year, pointing to further demographic challenges for the world’s second most populous nation that is now facing both an aging population and an emerging shortage of working age people able to support their elders.

China's economic growth likely fell fractionally short of the government's five percent target last year, according to an AFP survey, as leaders head into 2025 steeling for the second presidency of Donald Trump amid fears of another painful trade standoff.

China said that its economy expanded by 5% last year, but a variety of weak signals have made some outside economists dubious.

BEIJING: China recorded one of its slowest rates of economic growth in decades last year, data showed Friday (Jan 17), as leaders nervously eye a potential trade standoff with incoming US president Donald Trump.

Focus will also undoubtedly be on President-elect Trump's inaugural address and its implications for China's export-reliant economy, and any potential responses from Beijing. ANZ economists view a near-term reserve requirement cut before the Lunar New Year holiday as very much on the table,

(THE CONVERSATION) When Donald Trump returns to the White House, he’ll be accompanied by a coterie of China hawks, all vowing to use tariffs and export bans to stop Beijing from challenging the United States’ supremacy in technology.