China's NPC to Hold Annual Session on Thursday
Is China's economy poised for sustained growth or has its dominance already peaked?
Above: Chinese President Xi Jinping (center) at the closing session of the NPC at the Great Hall of the People in Beijing, China on Mar. 11, 2025. Image credit: Lintao Zhang/Getty Images
The Spin
Pro-China narrative
With each passing year, China's economy continues to grow stronger. Through its rigorous five-year plans and state-led programs, the country is best utilizing the numerous advantages at its disposal — ranging from its domestic market to its high savings rate and breakthrough technologies — to position itself perfectly for sustained growth and prosperity.
Anti-China narrative
China's economic dominance has already peaked, and the slowdown is structural, not temporary. As the working-age population has declined, China's productivity has stalled, with its investment-led model facing clear limits after decades of overbuilding. Regardless of what China announces this week, it won't produce the productivity gains needed to sustain its earlier growth.
