China sets a lower economic growth target of 4.5% to 5% for 2026 as challenges loom скачать в хорошем качестве

China sets a lower economic growth target of 4.5% to 5% for 2026 as challenges loom

(5 Mar 2026) RESTRICTIONS SUMMARY: ASSOCIATED PRESS Beijing - 5 March 2026 1. Wide of China's Premier Li Qiang reading a Government Work Report 2. SOUNDBITE (Mandarin) Li Qiang, China's Premier: “The main targets for development for this year are GDP growth of 4.5 - 5% while striving for better in practice; surveyed urban unemployment rate of around 5.5%; over 12 million new urban jobs; CPI (Consumer Price Index) around 2%; personal income growth in step with economic growth.” 3. Wide of China's President Xi Jinping 4. SOUNDBITE (Mandarin) Li Qiang, China's Premier: “While recognizing our achievements, we are also clear-eyed about the difficulties and challenges we face. The evolving external environment is exerting a greater impact on China. Multilateralism and free trade have been under severe strain. We still face quite a few problems and challenges, old and new, in economic development and transformation.” 5. Wide of Zhang Shengmin (in military uniform), vice chairman of China’s Central Military Commission 6. Wide of Li finishing his report, audience applauding STORYLINE: China signaled continuity rather than change in its economic policy Thursday, announcing a slightly lower target for GDP growth this year in the face of a prolonged property slump, other headwinds at home and growing uncertainty abroad. Premier Li Qiang in Beijing announced a target of 4.5% to 5% annual growth in his annual report presented to the opening session of this year’s meeting of the National People’s Congress. That compares to actual growth of 5% last year and a target of about 5% in each of the preceding three years.  “While recognizing our achievements, we are also clear-eyed about the difficulties and challenges we face,” Li said, reading much of the 35-page report in a more than hourlong address. China’s leaders are trying to balance the pursuit of two goals: reviving an economy by boosting domestic spending while also furthering President Xi Jinping’s ambitions to build China into a global leader in AI, robotics and other cutting-edge technologies. In line with the government’s approach in recent years, the annual report Thursday indicated it would continue to support domestic demand but not unleash any major new stimulus to boost economic growth in the short term. AP Video shot by: Tian Macleod Ji =========================================================== Clients are reminded to adhere to all listed restrictions and to check the terms of their licence agreements. For further assistance, please contact the AP Archive on: Tel +44(0)2074827482 Email: info@aparchive.com. Find out more about AP Archive: http://www.aparchive.com/HowWeWork Twitter:   / ap_archive   Facebook:   / aparchives   ​​ Instagram:   / apnews   You can license this story through AP Archive: http://www.aparchive.com/metadata/you...