AssetID: 55395522
Headline: UNCAPTIONED: China Hits 5% Growth Target, But Cracks Are Showing Beneath the Surface
Caption: China Hits 5% Growth Target, But Cracks Are Showing Beneath the Surface. China says its economy grew by 5% last year, meeting Beijing's official target, helped by a record-breaking trade surplus. But beneath the headline number, momentum is clearly slowing. Growth dropped to 4.5% in the final quarter of the year, as weak domestic spending and a prolonged property slump continued to drag on the economy. Some economists are openly sceptical. Analysts at Capital Economics say real growth may be at least 1.5 percentage points lower than official figures suggest arguing the data overstates China's true economic strength. At the same time, China's demographic crisis is deepening. Births fell to a record low of 7.9 million, and the population shrank for a fourth straight year. While exports remain strong, rising US tariff risks, falling house prices and cautious consumers are testing Beijing's push for more balanced and sustainable growth. Instructions: THIS VIDEO MUST NOT BE EDITED FOR LENGTH TO COMBINE WITH OTHER CONTENT
Keywords: Current affairs & Politics,China economy growth,5% growth target,Beijing official data,slowing momentum,record trade surplus,property slump,weak domestic demand,Capital Economics,data scepticism,demographic crisis,record low births,US tariff risks
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