China’s Xi Tolerates Relatively Slow Growth in Richest Province

President Xi Jinping indicated that the relatively lackluster expansion of China’s richest province is acceptable, in the latest sign that senior leaders of the world’s second largest economy are tolerating slower growth.

When Guangdong officials told Xi that the largest provincial economy only expanded 4.1% in the first nine months of 2025, below the national average of 5.2% but better than its pace last year, Xi suggested he was okay with it.

“Your total economic output remains firmly in first place nationwide. At such a large scale, the current growth rate still represents a significant increase,” Xi said, according to ...