China's GDP grows 5.0% in 1st qtr aided by brisk exports despite Iran war

China's economy in the January-March period grew a real 5.0 percent from a year ago, official data showed Thursday, with the pace of expansion accelerating from 4.5 percent in the previous quarter aided by robust exports despite the U.S.-Israeli war against Iran.The increase in inflation-adjusted gross domestic product of the world's second-largest economy, the first acceleration in five quarters, was in line with a growth target of 4.5 to 5 percent for 2026.On a quarter-to-quarter basis, China's GDP in the first three months of 2026 rose 1.3 percent from the previous quarter, compared with…READ FULL ARTICLE