Last year was kind to the Chinese economy. Robust growth enabled the government to make headway in its efforts to contain China's mounting debt, address overcapacity and wean the economy off a credit-heavy investment model. But whether Beijing can keep up the pace of progress in the new year is uncertain. As U.S. President Donald Trump prepares to deploy more aggressive trade measures against China , he could challenge the stable trade environment that facilitated the country's economic recovery in 2017. And as the vital real estate market continues to slow down and debt keeps piling up, the central government may have to expend more resources to maintain stability. Beijing's Economic Progress Report To avert financial disaster last year, Beijing launched a campaign to offload some of its debt, which today totals 260 percent of gross domestic product.