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The Guardian - AU
The Guardian - AU
World
Peter Hannam

China’s economy slows sharply with GDP growth among worst on record

China’s zero-Covid strategy and sudden reopening to the world are being blamed for the slowdown in GDP growth
China’s zero-Covid strategy and sudden reopening to the world are being blamed for the slowdown in GDP growth Photograph: AFP/Getty Images

China’s GDP expanded at its slowest pace since the mid-1970s bar the Covid-hit 2020 year, as the world’s second-largest economy struggled under tight pandemic restrictions that were abruptly ditched late in 2022.

The economy grew 3% last year, well shy of the 5.5% pace the government had targeted at the start of the year and the 8.1% recorded for 2021. The actual rate though, was better than the 2.7% predicted by the World Bank earlier this month.

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