BEIJING, April 16, 2026 (BSS/AFP) - China's economic growth topped expectations in the first quarter on the year, official data showed Thursday, even as the global economy reels from the fallout of war in the Middle East.

Gross domestic product in the world's second-largest economy expanded 5.0 percent year-on-year in January-March -- beating an AFP forecast of 4.8 percent -- according to data published by the National Bureau of Statistics.