BEIJING – China’s manufacturing improved in January but activity was sluggish, a survey showed Thursday, as U.S. and Chinese negotiators wrangled in Washington over a tariff war. ADVERTISEMENTA measure of factory activity issued by the government statistics agency and an industry group rose 0.1 points on a 100-point scale but stayed below a level that shows activity expanding. China’s economic growth sank to a three-decade low of 6.6 percent in 2018 after activity in the final quarter of the year dipped to its lowest level since the 2008 global crisis. “We see economic growth remaining sluggish” through mid-2019, Citigroup economists said in a report. Business groups see a decision by the top U.S. and Chinese trade envoys to take part as a positive sign, but economists say this week’s meeting can at best make limited progress toward resolving sprawling irritants.

Source: Philippine Daily Inquirer January 31, 2019 08:25 UTC