Economy Watch

China’s GDP Grows 5.3% in H1 Amid Headwinds—How and What’s Next?

The "Jia Hua Ningbo" vessel, which operated the maiden voyage of the 'China-Europe Express' route, sets sail. [Jiang Han/Xinhua]

Dear Reader,

China’s GDP grew by 5.3% in the first half of 2025, data recently released by China’s National Bureau of Statistics showed. This performance exceeded many expectations, especially considering the combination of external tariff pressures, sluggish domestic demand, and a continuing real estate crisis.

Seeing this data, you may be wondering:

· How did China achieve such growth?

· How is China handling the tariff shock from Trump’s administration?

· What were the trends in China’s economy in H1 2025?

· What policy measures will the Chinese government take in H2 to ensure its targeted growth rate of “around 5%”?

· What opportunities lie beneath the economic trends in the coming months?

To help answer these questions, we’ve compiled insights from multiple Chinese economic experts based on reports across the Chinese internet. This summary draws from interviews aired on China’s state media CCTV’s “News 1+1” and “Focus Interview” programs, as well as articles from the Chongyang Institute for Financial Studies at Renmin University of China (RDCY).

If you’re an investor or someone interested in China’s macroeconomy, this article may help you get the upper hand.

Happy reading!

Yours faithfully,

Editors of BeijingReviewDossier.

HAS CHINA’S FOREIGN TRADE WITHSTOOD TRUMP’S TARIFF SHOCK?

BRICS and A New Order Behind It

It’s not Anti-Western, it’s Post-Western. Editor’s Note: Trump is growing furious over BRICS, branding it as “anti-American.” But perhaps the real issue isn’t BRICS itself—it’s the current world order, led by a United States that, under Trump’s administration, seems to be running an

Beyond Commemoration: Understanding China's Development Since Victory in World War II

By Ding Gang In September, China will solemnly commemorate the 80th anniversary of the victory in the War of Resistance against Japanese Aggression. This commemoration is not only a time to collectively remember history and honor the martyrs, but also a pivotal moment for the world to re-examine China'

China’s Reform and Opening-up: A Relay Race with No Finish Line - The Road of China's Transformation in My Eyes

By AbdelaZiz Sallam "Reform and opening-up are always ongoing and will never end." For me, an Arab who has lived in China for more than a decade, this sentence is not just a political slogan. It is a true portrayal of the development of China that I have

Read next