China’s imports and exports fell more sharply than expected last month. Weaker global demand threatened recovery prospects for the world’s second-largest economy.
Government data shows that exports fell by 14.5% in July compared with a year earlier, while imports dropped 12.4%.
This will increase pressure on the Chinese government to encourage the post-pandemic recovery.
China’s economy grew by only 3% last year – apart from the slowdown when Covid struck, the weakest rate since 1976.