China's economy expanded 6.9% last year, the first time since 2010 that growth has picked up and the highest rate in two years. The figure beat the government's 6.5% target. However, some analysts believe GDP to be much weaker than official figures suggest. "The government is trying to hide its economic slowdown by inflating the numbers for this year," said Wang Jianmin, chief economist at China Everbright Securities.
China's economy expanded 6.9% last year, the first time since 2010 that growth has picked up and the highest rate in two years. The figure beat the government's 6.5% target. However, some analysts believe GDP to be much weaker than official figures suggest. The Chinese government's increased efforts to reduce risky debt and help air quality may harm growth in 2018, they add.