China resists Trump's tariff hikes and grows 5,3% in the first half of the year.

247 - The Chinese economy demonstrated strong resilience in the first half of 2025, growing 5,3% compared to the same period last year, according to data released Tuesday by China's National Bureau of Statistics (NBS). Xinhua news agency reported..

According to the report presented by the NBS, economic growth remained strong, exceeding the annual target of approximately 5% set by the Chinese government. In the second quarter of this year, the Gross Domestic Product (GDP) increased by 5,2% year-on-year, with an expansion of 1,1% compared to the previous quarter, even in the face of difficulties imposed by the external environment.

NBS Deputy Director Sheng Laiyun highlighted the importance of economic performance in the face of recent obstacles. "It's not easy to achieve such results in a turbulent international environment with a clear increase in external pressure," Sheng stated, according to Xinhua.

The data also showed that, despite the significant increase in tariffs imposed by the United States since April—reaching 145% on key products such as electric vehicles—China maintained strong export growth. According to Xinhua, total exports rose 5,9% in the first half of the year, with a notable 5,8% increase in June. This performance was mainly driven by the partial truce in the tariff conflict since May.

Foreign trade with various markets proved robust. Chinese exports to the United States recovered after the imposition of tariffs, while trade with Southeast Asia advanced with growth of up to 16,8%, highlighting the dynamism of China's trade relations with other regions of the world.

Xinhua highlighted that, despite external uncertainties, the fundamentals of the Chinese economy remain solid, with continuous progress in industrial transformation and technological modernization. The performance in the first half of the year reinforces the prospect that the country should achieve its projected growth target for 2025.