What Happened China's economy kicked off 2019 with signs of decelerating growth. The official growth rate for the country's gross domestic product (GDP) slipped to 6.6 percent in 2018, down from 6.9 percent the year earlier. The figure represents China's lowest growth since 1990, when Western sanctions shrunk GDP growth to just 3.9 percent. In addition, fourth-quarter GDP growth reached its lowest level since the global financial crisis at 6.4 percent. The news of low economic growth coincides with signs of weakness in other aspects of China's economy, highlighting its fragility as Beijing prepares to endure a number of challenges in the coming months. Last month, exports fell by 4.4 percent during the typically high-demand festive season, due in large part to the ongoing trade war with the United States .