China sets lowest growth target in over 30 years as economy feels strain

A man watches a live broadcast showing Chinese president Xi Jinping during the opening session of the National People's Congress at the Great Hall of the People in Beijing on 5 March 2026 - (AFP via Getty)

China has set its most modest economic growth target in more than 30 years, a move analysts say signals an acknowledgement of strain in the model powering its economic rise.

China has cut its growth target to 4.5-5 per cent, downgrading the target for the first time since it was set at “around 5 per cent” in 2023. It marks the country’s lowest growth goal since 1991.