China’s manufacturing sector picked up speed in January, a private-sector survey showed Monday, though the data still points to structural challenges.
The report suggested factories accelerated production ahead of the Lunar New Year holiday while responding to an increase in export orders, particularly from Southeast Asia.
The global demand for Chinese goods has offset flagging domestic consumption, helping China’s economy grow 5% last year. But that growth has been uneven.
Nearly half of the country’s provinces missed their growth targets in 2025, and only one has raised its goal for 2026. In manufacturing hubs, local leaders have resorted to behaving like influencers, posting on social media to urge the public to spend more, Caixin wrote.