Dreary Economic Data Suggests Struggles Ahead for China

FILE - A recruiter talks with an applicant at a booth at a job fair at a shopping center in Beijing, on June 9, 2023. High youth unemployment is one sign that China's economy is still struggling. Premier of China Li Qiang addresses attendees of the Annual Meeting of World Economic Forum in Davos, Switzerland, Jan. 16, 2024. FILE - A vendor sits outside his store selling souvenirs in Xiamen in southeast China's Fujian province on Dec. 27, 2023.

A flurry of economic indicators released by the Chinese government on Wednesday paints a picture of an economy that is still struggling to find its footing in the wake of the COVID-19 pandemic, even though it exceeded the modest growth target set by the central government.