China’s economy started 2026 with surprising momentum – but the latest monthly macro data underscores that many of the country’s underlying challenges remain firmly in place.

On this week’s Trivium China Podcast, host Andrew Polk is joined by Trivium’s Lead Macro Analyst Joe Peissel to unpack the latest economic data and what it reveals about the increasingly uneven nature of China’s growth story.

The two discuss:

• Why China’s economy is increasingly operating on “two tracks”
• The continued boom in AI, semiconductors, clean energy, and export-oriented manufacturing
• Why much of the rest of the manufacturing sector is struggling
• The first year-on-year decline in retail sales since the pandemic
• What collapsing auto sales reveal about the limits of Beijing’s trade-in subsidy program
• Why consumer confidence continues to deteriorate despite policy support

Andrew and Joe also examine the growing constraints on policymakers as fiscal pressures mount across the country.

Overall, the discussion reveals an economy that remains remarkably strong in a handful of strategic industries – but increasingly fragile everywhere else.