China's GDP expanded 5% year-on-year in the first quarter of 2025, surpassing analyst expectations of 4.8% and accelerating from 4.5% growth recorded in the final quarter of last year. Strong export demand and resilient consumer spending during the Lunar New Year holiday period were cited as key drivers, though China's National Bureau of Statistics cautioned that economic foundations remain fragile amid an increasingly complex external environment and persistent imbalances between supply and demand. Analysts note that the growth acceleration was concentrated in construction and industry, with the economy becoming more reliant on foreign demand — a trend that could deepen as global trade uncertainty persists.