China’s economic growth in the fourth quarter eases to 4.5%, marking the slowest pace in almost three years as consumer spending falls short of expectations

China’s Economic Growth Slows in Fourth Quarter

China experienced its slowest economic expansion in almost three years during the final quarter, as domestic demand weakened. Despite ongoing trade tensions with the United States and a persistent downturn in the property sector, the country’s annual growth still aligned with government expectations. According to data released by the National Statistics Bureau on Monday, gross domestic product increased by 4.5% between October and December. This figure is lower than the 4.8% growth recorded in the previous quarter and represents the lowest quarterly growth rate since early 2023, when the economy also expanded by 4.5%. For the entire year, China’s economy grew by 5%, achieving the official target set by Beijing.