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Drudge Retort: The Other Side of the News
Friday, May 02, 2025

English Summary posted here: www.theepochtimes.com Retail sales in two of China's wealthiest cities"Beijing and Shanghai"fell sharply in March, casting fresh doubt on the strength of China's domestic consumer demand. The weak performance stands in contrast to the narrative in China's state media, which has emphasized that strong consumer demand will enable China to withstand the increase in U.S. tariffs.

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Beijing's retail sales in March dropped 9.9 percent from the same period last year, while Shanghai experienced an even steeper decline of 14.1 percent, according to local government data released on April 18 and April 25, respectively.

Despite these efforts, Beijing saw a 38.2 percent year-over-year decline in telecommunications equipment sales and a 20.2 percent drop in auto sales during the month.

Despite the poor performance in Beijing and Shanghai, the National Bureau of Statistics reported a 5.9 percent year-over-year growth in official nationwide retail sales for March. Many Chinese netizens questioned the accuracy of this figure, given the contraction in two of China's most developed cities. Some commenters mocked the official data, blaming the bureau for habitually inflating data to paint a falsely optimistic picture of the economy.

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Anyone thinking China is winning the trade war, or even that the CCP will survive it if it continues down the current path, is not to be taken seriously. The problems with the Chinese economy started due to Trump's tariffs in his first term and this newest round is just the grand finale.

#1 | Posted by ScottS at 2025-05-02 09:56 PM | Reply

Tax revenue is down 3.6% for the quarter and energy use in China is dropping alarmingly. It takes energy to make things.

But the economy grew 5.2% comrade! Ask Xi!*

*Disclaimer: Xi gave me work-from-home forever. All hail Xi and COVID-19. The vaccine is a lethal HOAX!

- ChinaRat

P.S.War soon White Ghosts. The only thing holding Xi back from Invading Taiwan was losing trade with America. Well, it's lost.

#2 | Posted by HeliumRat at 2025-05-03 01:23 AM | Reply

"But the economy grew 5.2% comrade! Ask Xi!*
#2 | Posted by HeliumRat"

No need to ask Xi - just ask one of the liberals on here that repeat the CCP talking points for free.

#3 | Posted by ScottS at 2025-05-03 02:29 AM | Reply

@#3 ... No need to ask Xi ...

Actually, Pres Xi should be asked.

For starters, I'd ask about the lack of valid elections in China, so that Pres Xi can do what he wants and does not have to care about the apparent questioning of China's citizens.

Yeah, the basic problem with your current alias' premise with this thread is that Pres Xi has to be concerned about public opinion.

He doesn't.


Of course, that seems to be the place where Pres trump wants to bring this republic, where he is the dictator.

(and, fwiw, I've posted previously about China's economy being in the doldrums, so is this really something new, or just a continuation?)


But, China is already there.

So, all that leads me to ask, what's yer point?

#4 | Posted by LampLighter at 2025-05-03 06:48 PM | Reply | Newsworthy 1

The Epoch Times, bastion of journalistic integrity!!! /s

#5 | Posted by hamburglar at 2025-05-03 07:20 PM | Reply

It's Propaganda Pete and his Bull ---- ---- Show.

#6 | Posted by LegallyYourDead at 2025-05-04 01:20 PM | Reply

The dumbass OP's headline should have said Trump failure.
Isn't the Epoch times funded by mother Russia?

#7 | Posted by a_monson at 2025-05-05 01:50 AM | Reply

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