Year-on-year, the economy advanced 6.5 percent in the third quarter of 2018, after a 6.7 percent growth in the previous three quarters and missing market expectations of 6.6 percent. It was the lowest growth rate since the aftermath of the global financial crisis in the first quarter of 2009, amid intense tariff dispute with the US and and alarming off-balance-sheet borrowings by local governments.
For 2018, the Chinese government targets growth at around 6.5 percent.
In 2017, the economy expanded by 6.9 percent, beating the government target of around 6.5 percent and following a 26-year low of 6.7 percent in 2016.