China economy defies prophets of doom as 2017 risks loom

On target: China’s exports have been cushioned by a weaker yuan and factory prices have snapped out of their deflationary funk, leaving the economy’s expansion on pace to meet the government’s target of 6.5-7. – AFP

BEIJING: China has ended the year with its old growth engines roaring and new drivers like consumption in robust health, defying the prophets of doom yet again.

Now, it confronts 2017 with fresh questions over the debt and stimulus used to underpin that stabilisation.