China Says Economy Grew 18.3 Percent in First Quarter but Post-COVID Recovery Expected to Lose Steam

China Says Economy Grew 18.3 Percent in First Quarter but Post-COVID Recovery Expected to Lose Steam
Tourists and shoppers walk by a Li-Ning store, a Chinese sportswear brand, at a shopping district in Beijing on April 16, 2021. Kevin Frayer/Getty Images
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China’s economic recovery quickened sharply in the first quarter to record growth of 18.3 percent from last year’s deep coronavirus slump, propelled by stronger demand at home and abroad and continued government support for smaller firms.

But the brisk expansion, heavily skewed by the plunge in activity a year earlier, is expected to moderate later this year as the regime turns its attention to reining in financial risks in overheating parts of the economy.