China’s economy hit growth target last year despite Trump trade war and property crisis

China’s crisis-hit property sector has weighed heavily on the national economy but it still reached 5% annual growth last year. Photograph: Wu Hao/EPA

China has said its economy grew 5% last year, hitting Beijing’s official target as the world’s second-largest economy overcame Donald Trump’s tariff war with a record trade surplus.

Data released on Monday by Beijing’s National Bureau of Statistics showed the Chinese economy hit the official target of “around” 5% – the same growth as in 2024 – despite a slowdown to 4.5% in the final three months of the year.