Third-quarter growth in China expanded 4.5 per cent from a year earlier, picking up from the previous quarter as robust exports, including tech products tied to the boom in artificial intelligence, offset weak domestic demand.
The rate of growth in July-September, which was announced Monday, was higher than 4.3% growth in April-June, as well as the 4.4% that economists expected, according to the Associated Press.
Since the property slump began, China has ramped up its dependence on exports of semiconductors, EVs and other high-value tech products to boost an economy that has been sluggish due to weak property investment and tepid spending.
Exports jumped 36.3% in September from a year earlier, while exports of electric cars and tech products benefited from robust global demand, Reuters reported. China’s impressive export numbers have enabled the country to maintain a huge trade surplus despite higher US tariffs and escalating trade wars.
Nevertheless, the recovery is still patchy. Weak household expenditure, declining property investment and weak private investment continue to remain a drag on the domestic economy.
The one-year target of growth was 4.5-5% for 2026, up from 5% growth recorded in 2026.
There are concerns in the economy, however, that rising trade barriers and future investment uncertainty in artificial intelligence could dampen export growth momentum, putting policymakers under pressure to boost home spending.
