China This Week | Poll shows favourable view of China over US, new GDP data, and Rubio-Wang meeting

China is viewed more favourably than the United States in many countries today, according to a recent survey conducted by the think tank Pew Research Center. Pew has been tracking views of the two nations since 2002, and this year’s report saw many firsts, including China enjoying a better perception in relation to the US. It also marks a reversal after Covid-19 — when the favourability of China hit near-historic lows.Speaking of Covid-19, China released economic data for Q2 (April to June) that showed a GDP growth rate of 4.3%. China has targeted an annual growth rate of between 4.5 and 5% for this year, and Q1 growth rate stood at 5%. However, the latest quarterly growth rate was among the lowest in years, with a lower figure last reported during 2022, amid Covid-19 restrictions.Finally,