For the first time in three months, China’s manufacturing activity contracted in April, amid escalating trade tensions with the United States. With the fall of export demand and factory output, this marks its weakest performance since mid-2023. Meanwhile, China released a video saying it won’t “kneel down” to the U.S.
What Happened: The official manufacturing Purchasing Managers’ Index (PMI) fell to 49.0. This figure fell short of analyst expectations and slipped below the neutral 50 mark that distinguishes growth from contraction, according to data from the National Bureau of Statistics, cited by CNBC.
Sub-indexes for production and new orders both fell, with raw material and output prices also taking a hit. China’s non-manufacturing PMI also suffered a blow, while employment declined across most sectors.
Despite this, the Chinese Foreign Ministry asserted its position by releasing an English-language video with Chinese subtitles that, without naming President Donald Trump, portrayed the U.S. as …