China’s Third-Quarter Growth Reaches 4.5% as Exports Lead
China's economy expanded by 4.5% in the third quarter, largely propelled by robust exports, despite persistent weakness in domestic demand, particularly within its property market. This export-driven growth is contributing to record trade surpluses and generating significant trade imbalance concerns…
Houston, TX, October 18, 2026 —
China’s economy expanded by 4.5% in the third quarter, with robust exports driving much of the growth, according to the available trend summary. The expansion came despite persistent weakness in domestic demand, particularly in the property market.
The contrast between export strength and soft domestic demand is central to the economic picture described: growth has continued, but the summary attributes much of that performance to sales abroad rather than demand within China. It provides no further figures on domestic demand or the property market.
Export-led growth is also contributing to record trade surpluses, the summary says. Those surpluses have prompted trade-imbalance concerns among global partners, including the European Union. The size of the surplus, the period covered by the record and the specific concerns raised by the EU were not provided.
The summary does not specify which year the third quarter refers to, identify the source of the 4.5% figure or provide a breakdown of exports by sector or destination. It also gives no details about policy responses or what may happen next.
The available information therefore points to two concurrent developments: economic growth supported by strong exports and continued weakness in domestic demand, alongside rising concerns among trading partners over the resulting imbalances. Further details on the figures and the responses of China or its partners were not provided.
Story summarized from the original created by Associated Press on www.click2houston.com, see more information here.
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