China's Manufacturing Grows Despite Economic Woes

China's manufacturing activity rebounded in February following a decline in the previous month, according to official data released on Saturday.

The recovery comes as Beijing grapples with an economic downturn and growing trade tensions with the United States, which has intensified tariffs on Chinese exports.

The world's second-largest economy continues to struggle with weak domestic demand and a prolonged property sector crisis. At the same time, the risk of an escalating trade war with the US under President Donald Trump looms large.

The Purchasing Managers' Index PMI, a key indicator of industrial performance, rose to 50.2 in February, surpassing the 50-point threshold that distinguishes growth from contraction, as reported by the National Bureau of Statistics NBS. This marked an improvement from January's figure of 49.1, when factory output shrank for the first time in four months.

NBS statistician Zhao Qinghe attributed the growth in February to businesses gradually resuming operations after the Chinese New Year holiday.