China posts 5.4% GDP growth in first quarter, beating forecasts | Business and Economy

Statistics agency says economy ‘off to a good start’ despite more ‘complex and severe’ external environment.

China’s economy grew 5.4 percent in the January-March quarter, the country’s statistics agency has said, a stronger-than-expected performance that comes as exporters are bracing for the fallout of United States President Donald Trump’s punishing tariffs.

Industrial output rose 6.5 percent, the biggest gain among individual sectors, while the service sector expanded 5.3…