China’s economy slows as trade war takes its toll

BEIJING >> China’s economic growth slowed to the weakest pace in a year in the third quarter as fragile domestic demand left it heavily reliant on the humming of its exporting factories, stoking concerns about deepening structural imbalances.

While the 4.8% growth rate met expectations and kept China on track to reach its target of roughly 5% this year, the economy’s dependence on external demand at a time of mounting trade tensions with Washington raises questions over whether that pace can be sustained.

Beijing may be using the headline resilience in growth as a show of strength in talks between its vice premier He Lifeng and Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent in Malaysia in coming days and a potential meeting between presidents Donald Trump and Xi Jinping in South Korea later.

Still, t