Latest news with #Chinese-origin
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First Post
17 hours ago
- General
- First Post
Is Chinese-origin jet to blame for Bangladesh air force plane crash?
Bangladesh witnessed one of the deadliest aviation disasters in recent memory after a Chinese-origin fighter jet crashed into a school and college campus in Dhaka, killing over 25 people, including several children, and injuring more than 170 others. A high-level investigation is underway to uncover the exact cause of the fatal crash, as the Bangladesh air force's Chinese-origin F7 BGI plane is under the scanner read more Members of Bangladesh Airforce investigate on the site, after an air force training aircraft crashed into a building belong to Milestone School and College campus, in Dhaka, Bangladesh, July 22, 2025. Reuters Monday turned into a day of mourning and shock in Bangladesh after a military jet crashed into a school campus in Dhaka, killing over 25 people, including the pilot and several children, and injuring more than 170 others. The crash, one of the deadliest aviation disasters in the country's recent memory, took place shortly after the Chinese-origin F-7 BGI fighter jet took off from the Air Force Base AK Khandaker. Within minutes, it plummeted into Milestone School and College in Uttara, just as students were lining up to leave for the day. STORY CONTINUES BELOW THIS AD Scenes of chaos unfolded almost instantly, smoke billowed over the site, flames engulfed parts of the school, and screams echoed through the building. Parents, locals, and emergency responders rushed in to pull the injured from the rubble. The government has since declared a national day of mourning, while a high-level investigation is underway to uncover what led to the fatal crash. Here's what we know so far. 'Saw little children running, saw bodies on fire' Purnima Das, a teacher at Milestone School and College, had just returned to the faculty room after finishing a class when a loud bang shook the building. Startled, she rushed out to understand what had happened — only to be met with a horrifying scene. Flames had engulfed the school corridor, and smoke was quickly filling the two-storey building. The section of the school that was hit housed mostly primary and secondary students. 'By then, 80 per cent of the children in that building had gone home. And then there was a terrible noise in the building, before I knew it, I saw little children running. I saw that their bodies were on fire," Das wrote in a post on Facebook. Firefighters and army members work next to the wreckage of an air force training aircraft after it crashed into Milestone College campus, in Dhaka, Bangladesh, July 21, 2025. Reuters In the chaos, she ran to the washroom and splashed water on some of the students who had suffered burns, hoping to relieve their pain. But panic and fire were already spreading rapidly across the school. 'When I came out of the room, I saw so much fire. The entire corridor was on fire. Just two feet away, a colleague of mine had run into the fire. He fell at my feet, pleading to be saved. His whole body was burned. I stood there like a stone. Someone pulled me away, and we were taken out," she recalled. STORY CONTINUES BELOW THIS AD The aircraft involved was an F-7BGI, an advanced model of China's J-7 fighter jet, which had been on a training flight and took off from the air force base, just about 11 kilometres away. A desperate search for the loved ones The emotional and psychological impact of the crash has deeply scarred students and their families, many of whom witnessed the unthinkable. Farhan Hasan, a student who had just stepped out of an exam room, said he saw the jet hit the school with his own eyes. 'The plane hit the school building right before my eyes,' he told BBC Bangla. 'My best friend, the one I was in the exam hall with, he died right in front of my eyes.' Women react at the site of a At the crash site, panic quickly turned into desperation. Families scrambled for news about their children, and chaos unfolded both on the ground and at nearby hospitals. Jewel, a father who goes by one name, was among those waiting in agony to find out whether his daughter had survived. 'The plane crashed on the building where my daughter was. My wife called me, but I was praying so I could not pick up,' he told the AP. 'When I came here I saw there was a huge fire. There was a dead body of a child.' STORY CONTINUES BELOW THIS AD Fortunately, his daughter made it out alive. But many others were not as lucky. 'I saw many other children suffering from burns,' he said. Outside the school and at nearby medical centres, panic unfolded. Ambulances, rickshaws, and even the arms of firefighters and parents were used to carry the injured. Members of Bangladesh Airforce work at the site, after an air force training aircraft crashed into a building belong to Milestone School and College campus, in Dhaka, Bangladesh, July 22, 2025. Reuters Several victims were rushed to the Combined Military Hospital (CMH), while others were transported via Air Force helicopters and emergency vans, local media reported. Rescue operations saw the army, air force, police, and the Border Guard Bangladesh (BGB) jointly carrying out rescue and relief efforts, according to the Dhaka Tribune. Bangladesh's interim Prime Minister, Muhammad Yunus, expressed deep sorrow over the tragedy and pledged a full investigation. He announced on social media that an emergency hotline had also been set up at the school to assist families. PM Narendra Modi also expressed solidarity with Bangladesh in a statement, saying, 'Our hearts go out to the bereaved families. India stands in solidarity with Bangladesh and is ready to extend all possible support and assistance.' STORY CONTINUES BELOW THIS AD Twenty bodies have been handed over to their families. Some of the charred bodies were beyond recognition, and they might need DNA tests for matching, reports AP. A blood donation camp has been opened at a specialised burn hospital where most of the injured were being treated. Experts point to the Chinese jet's poor track record Authorities say the fatal crash that turned a school campus into a site of devastation was caused by a technical failure. According to a statement issued by the Inter-Services Public Relations (ISPR) Directorate, the Bangladesh Air Force FT-7 BGI fighter jet developed a 'technical malfunction' shortly after it took off. The pilot, Flight Lieutenant Md Towkir Islam Sagar, tried to steer the jet away from the densely populated neighbourhood of Uttara. But despite his efforts, the aircraft ended up crashing into a two-storey school building, killing himself and many others on the ground. The ISPR also confirmed that a high-level investigation committee has been formed by the Air Force to determine what exactly went wrong. However, aviation experts are already pointing towards the aircraft's troubling history. A former Bangladesh Air Force officer told Dhaka Tribune on condition of anonymity that the Chinese origin of the plane may be linked to the crash. STORY CONTINUES BELOW THIS AD Bangladesh Air Force J-7BGI in 2018. Image courtesy: Wikimedia Commons 'Chinese aircraft are one of the main reasons behind these repeated crashes, yet the Air Force continues to use them due to various constraints,' the retired officer said. Military data cited by the same report reveal that out of 11 crashes over the past two decades, seven involved China-manufactured aircraft. The remaining four were linked to three Russian-made jets and one Czech-made. The aircraft involved, the F-7 BGI, is a Chinese-made light, multi-role fighter jet developed by the Chengdu Aircraft Corporation. Designed to perform a wide range of missions, from air-to-air combat and aerial bombing to reconnaissance and defence suppression, this model was regarded as an upgrade when Bangladesh purchased 36 of them in 2022, customised to meet military requirements. Others say that poor urban planning and violations of safety regulations may have contributed to the disaster. The area where the plane crashed used to be clear land, but unchecked development has transformed it into a densely populated area. Referring to the incident, a retired air official told Dhaka Tribune, 'Towkir (Pilot)… was approaching for landing, and the crash site was near his middle marker line… This area should have been cleared, but urban development took place on what used to be an empty canal.' STORY CONTINUES BELOW THIS AD He added that basic flight safety protocols were not being followed. 'Regardless of the location, at least an eight-nautical-mile obstacle-free fly zone is required for safe landings. But we are not following these rules. Even our approach lines are obstructed by numerous obstacles,' he said. On Tuesday, a national day of mourning is being observed across Bangladesh with flags flown at half-mast in all government offices, semi-government bodies, autonomous institutions, and educational campuses. With input from agencies
Time of India
6 days ago
- Time of India
Baby factory busted, Chinese origin couple arrested, and 21 surrogate children rescued in mansion
Authorities in California have uncovered what they describe as a 'deeply troubling and potentially exploitative' surrogacy operation after police found 15 toddlers inside a multimillion-dollar mansion in Arcadia, and later located six more children living at separate residences. The mansion is being seen as a 'baby factory' and a potential center of human trafficking . Chinese-origin couple, Guojun Xuan, 65, and Silvia Zhang, 38, were arrested and charged with felony child endangerment. The Arcadia Police Department said the investigation began after a 2-month-old baby was hospitalized with a severe brain injury, believed to have been caused by the family's nanny, Chunmei Li, who remains at large. Explore courses from Top Institutes in Select a Course Category Design Thinking Artificial Intelligence Project Management others Data Science Public Policy Leadership MBA CXO Finance PGDM Management Technology Degree Digital Marketing Healthcare Data Analytics Data Science Product Management healthcare MCA Operations Management Others Cybersecurity Skills you'll gain: Duration: 22 Weeks IIM Indore CERT-IIMI DTAI Async India Starts on undefined Get Details Skills you'll gain: Duration: 25 Weeks IIM Kozhikode CERT-IIMK PCP DTIM Async India Starts on undefined Get Details Police say surveillance footage showed Li violently shaking and striking the child. 'The abuse was clear and horrifying,' said Lt. Kollin Cieadlo of the Arcadia Police Department. The baby remains hospitalized. While surrogacy is legal in California, authorities are probing whether Xuan and Zhang, who ran a now-closed company called Mark Surrogacy Investment LLC, used the system for illegal purposes. Investigators say they are now exploring potential human trafficking violations, particularly given the scale and secrecy of the operation. Surrogacy advocates and bioethics experts say the case raises serious red flags. Kallie Fell, executive director of the Center for Bioethics and Culture, told ABC7, 'This smells of trafficking. It's disturbing and emotionally damaging for the children and the women involved.' Live Events Police confirmed that some of the surrogates did not know others were carrying embryos from the same couple. It remains unclear how many women were involved in total. Investigators believe some were recruited from out of state. Neighbors say the Arcadia mansion had an unusual layout, resembling a hotel, with a reception area and rows of nursery-like rooms. 'It looked more like a business than a home,' one resident told KTLA. Zhang has denied all trafficking allegations, calling the reports 'misguided and wrong.' All 21 children have been placed in the custody of the Department of Children and Family Services. Authorities are now working with the FBI to trace the origins of the embryos and contracts involved. California is one of 15 US states where compensated surrogacy is legal. But critics warn that the system, if unchecked, can be exploited, turning a compassionate act into a commercialized and harmful trade.
Time of India
6 days ago
- Science
- Time of India
Indian Army successfully tests Akash Prime air defence system at 15,000 ft in Ladakh, officials say
In a key advancement for India's indigenous air defence capabilities, the Indian Army on Wednesday conducted successful high-altitude trials of the Akash Prime surface-to-air missile system in the Ladakh sector, according to Defence officials quoted by news agency ANI. The trials, held at an altitude exceeding 15,000 feet, were conducted by the Army Air Defence Corps in collaboration with senior scientists from the Defence Research and Development Organisation ( DRDO ), which developed the system. Officials confirmed that the missile achieved two direct hits on fast-moving aerial targets in the rarified atmosphere of the high-altitude region. Explore courses from Top Institutes in Select a Course Category Healthcare Degree Cybersecurity PGDM Technology Management Finance Product Management others Public Policy Data Science Artificial Intelligence Leadership CXO Data Analytics Design Thinking Project Management healthcare MCA Data Science Digital Marketing MBA Operations Management Others Skills you'll gain: Financial Analysis in Healthcare Financial Management & Investing Strategic Management in Healthcare Process Design & Analysis Duration: 12 Weeks Indian School of Business Certificate Program in Healthcare Management Starts on Jun 13, 2024 Get Details "The Akash Prime system demonstrated its operational readiness by scoring two direct hits against fast, manoeuvring target aircraft under difficult high-altitude conditions," said officials interviewed by ANI. by Taboola by Taboola Sponsored Links Sponsored Links Promoted Links Promoted Links You May Like Access all TV channels anywhere, anytime Techno Mag Learn More Undo Designed to improve upon the original Akash system, Akash Prime is equipped with an improved seeker and can engage targets with greater precision in extreme weather and terrain. Defence officials said the system had already performed effectively during Operation Sindoor , where it was deployed to counter aerial threats from Pakistan, including Chinese-origin aircraft and Turkish-made drones. Live Events The successful trial marks a step forward in the planned induction of Akash Prime as part of the Indian Army's layered air defence network. Officials noted that the third and fourth regiments of the Akash air defence system are likely to be formed using the Akash Prime variant. The Akash Prime is part of India's broader push for self-reliant defence production , especially in strategic domains such as air defence.
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First Post
7 days ago
- Politics
- First Post
How Op Sindoor oversaw the trailer of China-Pakistan two-front threat
Beijing as a major player will prefer to remain invisible, and it is in this grey zone that India will witness greater Pakistan-China collusivity, which will get compounded in times to come read more China's official responses to the April 22 Pahalgam terrorist attack mirrored Pakistan's narrative—advocating a 'quick and fair investigation' of the Pahalgam attack and expressing 'full understanding' of Islamabad's 'legitimate security concerns'. While the Chinese Foreign Office spokesperson termed the May 7 response by India on terrorist targets in Pakistan as 'regrettable', China also collaborated with Pakistan in diluting the United Nations Security Council (UNSC) Press Statement, excising any direct reference to The Resistance Front—a proxy of Pakistan-based Lashkar-e-Taiba and the group behind the Pahalgam attack. More recently, it also prevented an inclusion of the terror attack in the draft Shanghai Cooperation Organisation (SCO) communique, resulting in the Defence Minister Rajnath Singh refusing to sign the document on June 25, as it would have weakened India's position on terrorism and regional security. STORY CONTINUES BELOW THIS AD The Chinese media also played an active role in shaping perceptions by amplifying Pakistan's propaganda. The digital landscape also underscored China's active alignment with Pakistan's strategic messaging, which included celebrating the alleged success of Chinese-origin military platforms deployed by Pakistan. A recurring theme was the concern that the crisis could escalate into a nuclear conflict, prompting calls for international diplomatic intervention to prevent further escalation. However, the Chinese role is now no longer restricted to the dimensions of diplomacy, economy, supply of military hardware, and strategic communications. It has metamorphosed to a degree where a conflict with Pakistan now openly involves China, as Pakistan's military capability in terms of weapons and technology has been boosted by China. It is well known that Pakistan is the biggest buyer of Chinese military hardware, but it is now the 'military software', as evidenced during Operation Sindoor, which is concerning. Deputy Army Chief's Remarks On July 04, the Deputy Chief of Army Staff, Lt Gen Rahul R Singh, while speaking on Operation Sindoor, reinforced this important aspect of the China-Pakistan nexus when he stated that China was an ever-present factor bolstering Pakistan's military efforts through unprecedented battlefield collusion during Operation Sindoor. Drones, cyber operations, and net-centric warfare elements employed by Pakistan showed unmistakable imprints of the 'Chinese military playbook'. The Deputy Chief also said that Chinese Intelligence, Surveillance, and Reconnaissance (ISR) systems provided real-time data, situational awareness, and surveillance capabilities to the Pakistani forces. Even civilian assets such as the Chinese fishing fleet were reportedly leveraged to monitor Indian naval deployments, while Pakistan's Navy remained coastal-bound. STORY CONTINUES BELOW THIS AD He stated that Pakistan had full visibility into Indian military deployments, which was made evident during the Director General of Military Operations (DGMO)-level talks by disclosing that 'When the DGMO-level talks were going on, Pakistan actually was mentioning that 'we know that your such-and-such important vector is primed and ready for action. I would request you to perhaps pull it back'. It is apparent that Pakistan was getting these inputs … from China'. Operation Sindoor was also a test bed for China's defence industry, validating its platforms and collecting performance data in real combat. As per him, 81 per cent of Pakistan's military hardware acquired in the last five years is from China. He said that China was using Pakistan as a 'live lab' to test its weapons against various other weapon systems. To quote Siemon Wezeman of the Stockholm International Peace Research Institute (SIPRI), 'Any state producing or buying weapons is keen to see how the product does in real conflict. Tests and exercises can tell most about the capabilities of weapons, but the ultimate test is often combat.' STORY CONTINUES BELOW THIS AD This in turn allows the Chinese to improve and upgrade their product for the next conflict. These upgrades will probably be available to Pakistan, which will be better prepared in the future. Lieutenant General Singh revealed that during Operation Sindoor, India faced not just Pakistan but effectively three adversaries on one border. 'Pakistan was the front face. We had China providing all possible support … Turkey also played a very important role in providing the type of support that was there.' He also disclosed that Turkey provided substantial support to Pakistan, including Bayraktar drones and trained personnel. 'Turkey also played a very important role in providing the type of support that was there. Bayraktar, of course, has been there. We saw numerous other drones also coming in during the war, along with trained sorts of individuals who were there,' he revealed. This brings out Turkey's active role in supporting Pakistan against India, indicating a broader geopolitical alignment that extends beyond traditional Pakistan-China cooperation. STORY CONTINUES BELOW THIS AD China Downplays Remarks On July 7, China downplayed the deputy chief's remarks, and its foreign ministry spokesperson Mao Ning said at a media briefing, 'I am not familiar with the specifics you mentioned. Let me say that China and Pakistan are close neighbours who enjoy traditional friendship. Defence and security cooperation is part of the normal cooperation between the two countries and does not target any third party.' At the same time, Mao said the India-China relationship is in a 'critical moment of improvement and development' and Beijing would like to promote steady growth of bilateral ties with New Delhi. When it was pointed out that China's active support in providing live inputs to Pakistan during the conflict was contrary to her assertion that the close ties do not target any third party, Mao said, 'I am not sure how that allegation came about. Different people may have different perspectives.' In sync with these remarks, the Pakistan Army Chief, General Asim Munir, now 'Field Marshal', in an address to graduating officers at the National Defence University in Islamabad, said, 'Insinuations regarding external support in Pakistan's successful Operation Bunyanum Marsoos are irresponsible and factually incorrect.' STORY CONTINUES BELOW THIS AD Pakistan-China Collusivity The handing over of Shaksgam Valley in Gilgit–Baltistan by Pakistan to China in 1963 was a defining moment in Pakistan-China relations. In 1964, Pakistan became the first non-communist country to begin its flights to China. In March 1965, Pakistan denounced the 'Two China policy' of the US. China now began to regard Pakistan as a trustworthy partner in South Asia. The 1965 India-Pakistan war proved to be a real catalyst in cementing these ties, as China fully supported Pakistan. In 1971, the US used Pakistan to reach out to China, and in recent years China has always stood by Pakistan at all international forums and provided them all possible support, including the transfer of advanced missile and nuclear technologies. During Operation Sindoor, Chinese-origin systems were employed by Pakistan. The Pakistan Air Force's deployment of Chinese J-10C fighters armed with PL-15 beyond-visual-range missiles, alongside HQ-9 air defence systems, and the operational integration honed over years of joint exercises such as the Shaheen series were visible. This interoperability was not just symbolic. It was translated into tactical advantages in real-time combat. STORY CONTINUES BELOW THIS AD China's BeiDou satellite navigation system played a critical role, including in missile guidance for the PL-15, reaffirming the direct integration of Chinese systems into Pakistani battlefield operations. The Chinese satellite network Baidu continuously searched, identified, and tracked targets on the Indian side, and thereafter the data was fed to the fire control systems of the aircraft that were being tested by China through the air force of its autonomous region—Pakistan. Therefore, the air-to-air missiles could have found a target on the Indian side of the Line of Control (LoC). On May 12, Air Marshal A K Bharti, Director General of Air Operations, presented visual evidence of missile remnants and named China-supplied weapons in the Pakistani arsenal used against the Indian Armed Forces. 'You can see the pieces of it on the screen,' he said, showcasing debris of the PL-15 long-range missile that fell inside Indian territory, including a relatively intact rear section recovered from Hoshiarpur in Punjab. STORY CONTINUES BELOW THIS AD Reports also indicate the fusion of the Swedish Saab 2000 Erieye airborne early warning and control (AEW&C) platform alongside Chinese systems to target Indian aircraft, reflecting a sophisticated convergence of multi-origin platforms, many of which are enabled or integrated by Chinese technologies. Pakistan's announcement on June 6 of China offering it its fifth-generation J-35 stealth fighters, the KJ-500 AEW&C aircraft, and the HQ-19 ballistic missile defence system reinforces its position as the foremost recipient of Chinese frontline military hardware. China and Pakistan have a shared enmity with India, and Pakistan, with its geostrategic location, is integral to China's transformation to a global power, as it provides Beijing connectivity through both the China-Pakistan Economic Corridor and the Maritime Silk Route. Conclusion The fact is that India is dealing with the legacy of the unsettled borders with both China and Pakistan on the LoC, Actual Ground Position Line (AGPL), and LAC. This has resulted in the deployment of forces to safeguard our territorial sovereignty. Post the June 2020 Galwan crisis, while disengagement has taken place, the deinduction of troops has not. The ceasefire along the LoC has also effectively collapsed post Operation Sindoor. The collusion is no longer in the realm of fantasy; it is a fact. The lessons from Operation Sindoor should guide India's threat assessments, force modernisation, and operational thought process. This fundamentally changes India's strategic calculus and defence planning, as it confirms the two-front collusive threat is not a theoretical construct for the Indian military but an operational reality. We therefore need to secure ourselves and promote our national interests by building on our economy and strengthening our military capabilities. While speaking at an event hosted by the Observer Research Foundation on 08 July, Chief of Defence Staff General Anil Chauhan said, 'There is a possible convergence of interest we can talk about between China, Pakistan, and Bangladesh that may have implications for India's stability and security dynamics.' Operation Sindoor has demonstrated that conflicts will not be fought as per the previous templates. The focus, though shifting to multi-domain operations, is on non-contact kinetic attacks using long-range vectors and air to facilitate precision strikes apart from cyber, economic, legal, information, and proxy wars. In such a scenario China as a major player will prefer to remain invisible, and it is in this grey zone that we will witness greater collusivity, which will get compounded in times to come. The author is a retired Major General of the Indian Army. Views expressed in the above piece are personal and solely those of the author. They do not necessarily reflect Firstpost's views.
Mint
14-07-2025
- Business
- Mint
China's exports beat expectations after trade truce with US
BEIJING—China's exports grew at a faster clip in June, topping market expectations as trade tensions with the U.S. eased following a round of bilateral talks. Outbound shipments rose 5.8% in June from a year earlier, China's General Administration of Customs said Monday. The figure was better than many economists had predicted and represented an improvement from the 4.8% year-over-year increase in May. Shipments to the U.S., however, fell by 16.1% in June compared with a year earlier, as hefty tariffs and uncertainty around the global tariff environment more generally stifled trade between the world's two largest economies. Washington and Beijing reached a truce last month in their continuing trade dispute, agreeing to roll back most of their tariffs on one another. During the meeting in London, U.S. and Chinese officials outlined a framework that involves China expediting shipments of rare-earth minerals and other critical inputs to the U.S., and Washington lifting some restrictions on access to advanced American technologies. The results of that detente could be seen in last month's Chinese exports to the U.S. While the figure remained in negative territory, the 16.1% decline was a marked improvement from a tumble of 34.5% in May and a 21% fall in April. Economists warned against interpreting the decline as a return to normalcy. They said any improvement was likely to be temporary and underscored how much President Trump's return to office has upended the commercial relationship between the countries. 'Some of this recovery probably reflects efforts by U.S. importers to stockpile Chinese goods due to fears of renewed tariff escalation between the two countries," Zichun Huang, an economist at Capital Economics, wrote in a note to clients after Monday's data release. 'It is unlikely that exports to the U.S. will hold up this well for long." Plenty of question marks remain over U.S.-China trade ties, even after the recent shift in tone. The truce agreed in London set a 90-day grace period for the tariff rollback, implying that the two sides have until Aug. 12 to reach a permanent deal. Last week, the Trump administration sent letters to several countries outlining higher tariff rates that are due to kick in on Aug. 1. While that pushes back a prior July deadline by three weeks, it also affirmed punitive rates on some economies. Trump said he would slap a 50% tariff on Brazil and 35% duties on some goods from Canada. He also announced a 50% levy on copper and floated a tariff of up to 200% on pharmaceuticals. The letters mentioned that even higher tariffs would be imposed on transshipped goods bound for the U.S., a measure widely seen as targeting Chinese-origin exports that travel through other countries on their way to America. Chinese shipments to the U.S. in the first half of the year fell 10.9% from the same period in 2024, while China's exports to all countries rose 5.9% over that same stretch, in line with the 5.8% year-over-year increase that China reported for the full year of 2024. While China's overall export picture remained largely unchanged after Trump's return this year, Chinese exports to the U.S. have fallen substantially, only to be made up elsewhere. Suspicions in Washington that many goods destined for the U.S. have been rerouted through Southeast Asia prompted the Trump administration to strike a deal with Vietnam. That deal slaps a 40% tariff on goods transshipped through Vietnam to the U.S. in an attempt to close a backdoor for goods originating in China. According to Chinese customs data released Monday, exports to the Association of Southeast Asian Nations—the grouping China counts as its largest trading partner—rose 13.0% in the first six months from a year earlier. Exports to the European Union, whose 27 nations collectively count as China's second-largest trading partner, rose 6.6% over that same time frame. Buoyed by strong exports and Beijing's stimulus measures, China's economy has remained on a generally firm footing this year. China said its gross domestic product expanded 5.4% year-over-year in the first quarter of 2025 as companies accelerated shipments amid expectations of higher tariffs. Economists surveyed by The Wall Street Journal expected the economy to have grown 5.2% in the second quarter, with many anticipating a moderation in growth in the second half of the year. The National Bureau of Statistics is scheduled to release GDP figures on Tuesday. Amid lingering uncertainty in its export sector, Beijing has sought to boost domestic demand by cutting interest rates, injecting liquidity into the financial system and maintaining a 'cash-for-clunkers"-style trade-in program to encourage consumer spending. Monday's import data showed tentative signs of recovery in domestic demand. Imports rose 1.1% in June from a year earlier, the customs bureau said, up from May's 3.4% year-over-year fall and the 0.5% decline expected by surveyed economists. That brought China's trade surplus to $114.78 billion in June, up from the $103.22 billion surplus in the previous month and the $111.3 billion figure expected by economists. The first month of increased imports for this year can largely be chalked up to a statistical quirk, with a lower base for comparison in June 2024, said Huang of Capital Economics. Grace Zhu contributed to this article. Write to Jonathan Cheng at
