No political party on earth is as powerful, strong or wise as the Chinese Communist Party, according to its spokespeople. But there are cracks in the facade. Despite surging exports and tech investment, China’s economy isn’t doing well, The Wall Street Journal reported Monday. The urban unemployment rate has reached 5.2%. Property investment, once an important driver of China’s economic miracle, is down 19% year on year as the real-estate bubble continues to deflate. At 4.3%, economic growth has fallen to levels last seen during the pandemic.
The one bright spot in current data points to more problems down the road. Exports surged 23.9% in the 12 months from July 2025, but that will only heighten concerns about “China Shock 2.0” that have economies all over the world contemplating draconian restrictions on Chinese trade.