China's Economy Meets Official Growth Target, But Many Feel a Downturn

ECONOMIC GROWTH - BEIJING. China's economy matched the government's ambitions for 5% growth last year, but in a lopsided fashion, with many people complaining of worsening living standards as Beijing struggles to transfer its industrial and export gains to consumers.

The unbalanced growth raises concerns that structural problems may deepen further in 2025, when China plans a similar growth performance by going deeper into debt to counter the impact of an expected U.S. tariff hike, potentially as soon as Monday when Donald Trump is inaugurated as president.