How reliable is China's GDP data? 2024 in focus after debatable 2023

NEW YORK -- Doubts have swirled around China's official 2023 economic growth figures published this week, as some analysts struggle to reconcile government data with their own assessments.

China's gross domestic product grew 5.2% last year, the National Bureau of Statistics reported Wednesday, in line with Beijing's target of "around 5%." The figure represents an improvement from 3% in 2022, when the country was restrained by strict zero-COVID policies.