BEIJING, Oct. 19 -- China's State Council Information Office held a press conference on Oct. 19 to brief on the national economy in the first three quarters of 2026. "Resilience on display" and "better than expected" were among the phrases used by foreign media, which widely agreed that the results laid a solid foundation for hitting the full-year growth target.
The BBC, Russia's Sputnik, Nikkei and other outlets noted that data from the National Bureau of Statistics showed China's GDP reached 107.1071 trillion yuan in the first three quarters, up 4.6 percent year on year at constant prices.
Singapore's Lianhe Zaobao quoted economists as saying that both year-on-year and quarter-on-quarter growth in the third quarter beat expectations, making the full-year target of 4.5 to 5 percent achievable.
The Wall Street Journal noted that the Chinese government has rolled out a series of measures to support the economy, and economists believe these policies will help achieve the 2026 growth target.
Reuters said analysts expect China to meet its 2026 growth target without additional stimulus, helped by strong performance early in the year and moderate fiscal and monetary support recently. It added that high-tech manufacturing and new energy vehicle output show industrial upgrading progressing steadily and strongly.
CNN highlighted the statistics bureau's assessment that the economy withstood pressure in the first three quarters, with positive changes in major indicators increasing and high-quality development yielding new results, while cautioning that the external environment remains complex and domestic demand remains insufficient.
Kenya's Capital FM published an article titled "China's economy shows resilience, bringing new opportunities to the world," arguing that amid geopolitical conflicts and rising uncertainty, China's economy has demonstrated resilience and created new opportunities through structural transformation and technological innovation.
