china, figures show the econom i china, figures show the economy grew _ i china, figures show the economy grew by - i china, figures show the economy grew by 596, - i china, figures show the i economy grew by 596, hitting i china, figures show the - economy grew by 596, hitting the economy grew by 5%, hitting the target set by the government but that is one of the slowest annual growth rates in decades and comes of the world �*s second—largest economy faces a number of challenges. with donald trump sets return to the white house next week with a promise to hit china up with even more tariffs. some experts have warned the country faces a tough year ahead. let's turn to our newsroom for more on this. tell us about this 5% number and what it means. tell us about this 596 number and what it means.— and what it means. those numbers _ and what it means. those numbers just _ and what it means. those numbersjust coming - and what it means. those numbersjust coming in i and what it means. those l numbersjust coming in and numbers just coming in and showing as you mentioned that china's economy did grow 5% in 2024. china's economy did grow 5% in 202a. these numbers are coming against the backdrop of a very real slowdown in china. there is weak demand, high local government debt and weakening sentiment in general about future prospects. with that said we are likely to see a pickup in demand towards 2025

and we saw that in the last quarter of 2024 as well, largely because china's leaders seem to realise how serious the situation is and implemented a number of stimulus measures to try to boost growth. 0ne number of stimulus measures to try to boost growth. one of those was a trading scheme where people can swap their old washing machines, and water filters for new ones at a 20% discount and we heard from some shoppers who feel those measures were a good incentive to try to boost spending and internal growth. i spoke to some analysts who say that stimulus will only be a temporary measure and leaders need to address more structural issues. beijing has rarely missed its growth targets in the past and this is one of the slowest growth rates in decades. it is really important for china's leaders to maintain social stability to ensure that

continued prosperity and that is one of the reasons that the gdp target is so important for them and of course, there might be more trouble ahead. exports were a bright spot in the last year. we saw but with higher exports in the last quarter of last year but the threat of incoming president donald trump's tariffs on $500 billion worth of chinese goods is rattling markets and businesses. there is also a weakening currency to contend with. even if china met its growth targets for 2024, it could be a very different story altogether for 2025.— could be a very different story altogether for 2025. thank you for detailing — altogether for 2025. thank you for detailing that. _ altogether for 2025. thank you for detailing that. and - altogether for 2025. thank you for detailing that. and that - for detailing that. and that you have in fact written an article about the fate —— challenges faced by the chinese economy in 2025. you can find that on our website. speaking of donald trump, his america

first labour policy has the debate over the role of foreign workers in that country. at the centre is the hb one visa scheme, which allows businesses to hire highly skilled professionals from overseas. the usefulness of the programme has divided trump supporters and raised concerns in india. the 81 b visa is one of hottest debates in the us, pitching donald trump supporters from the tech industry from his far right loyalists. silicon valley, which relies on hb one visas to hire foreign workers says that it will fill a big skills gap in the us workforce. elon musk now a key voice in this circle, has defended these visas, saying: but the republican hardliners call it a scam that undercuts jobs and

wages for americans. the h1b visa programme _ wages for americans. the h1b visa programme is _ wages for americans. the h1b visa programme is a - wages for americans. the h1b visa programme is a total - wages for americans. the h1b visa programme is a total and complete scam concocted by the lords of easy money on wall street. , ,., , ., lords of easy money on wall street. , , ., ., ., street. these visas are go to four big tech _ street. these visas are go to four big tech like _ street. these visas are go to four big tech like amazon, i four big tech like amazon, google and tesla to hire specialised foreign talent like programmers, engineers and scientists with salaries often lower than their american peers. 0nly lower than their american peers. only 85,000 hib visas are issued annually with workers from india receiving more than 70% of them. indian it firms have been selling —— serving the us market for over three decades, they say these visas are needed to offer on—site services today us clients. ”5 on-site services today us clients. , . , on-site services today us clients. , ., , ., clients. is really about immigration, - clients. is really about immigration, it - clients. is really about immigration, it is - clients. is really about. immigration, it is about clients. is really about - immigration, it is about the avenue of appropriate access to global talent and as you know, there is no better place on the largest talent pool, which is in india. 30% of the start—ups

are being done by indians in the us. ., ,�*, are being done by indians in the us. ., , the us. donald trump's first term for a — the us. donald trump's first term for a crackdown - the us. donald trump's first term for a crackdown on - the us. donald trump's first term for a crackdown on h1b term for a crackdown on hib visas with denial rates are spiking to 24%. indian it firms say they are ready if these visas are harder to come by in his second term. moreover, there big tech clients have more influence now. while trump has vowed to restrict immigration and deport all illegal immigrants, lately he seems more receptive to receiving legal roots like the. —— like the hib. the country needs more skilled foreigners to remain competitive. for the incoming president, it will now be a test to balance economic and political interests of his support base. this expert says

the h1b support base. this expert says the hib visa scheme has been a slamdunk successful the us. i don't see the downside, you are talking about 85,000 visas per year. the context, the us economy is producing 150,000 jobs per month on average so this is very small and this is critical workers and in many cases they will come here, work here, contribute and ultimately they may find their way to being citizens here and start their own companies and generate a lot more jobs. their own companies and generate a lot morejobs. i think the hib has been a slamdunk success since its inception back in 1990. the world bank _ inception back in 1990. the world bank has _ inception back in 1990. the world bank has names rising trade tensions and tariffs as big threats to growth. it has forecast that the global economy will grow by 2.7% this year. that would be one of its weakest performances since 2019. tariffs are a central part two donald trump's economic vision. he has already pledged tariffs on the us �*s biggest trading partners, us ——

canada, mexico and china. apple has suspended an artificial intelligence feature that drew criticism or repeatedly making mistakes in its summaries of news headlines. the tech giants as it will improve in the future and make it available in a future software update. the bbc was among news organisations that complained after an alert generated by apple �*s ai falsely told some readers that luigi mangione, the man accused of killing united healthcare ceo brian thompson, had shot himself. a us influences are readying for a tiktok band which is due to take effect this weekend. unless its chinese owners, bytedance, sell it by the 19th of january. bytedance, sell it by the 19th ofjanuary. the bytedance, sell it by the 19th of january. the supreme court is set to rule on whether the law should be upheld. president—elect donald trump could find a way to save the platform, according to his incoming national security adviser. the bbc caught up with two users who are worried about the van. i

two users who are worried about the van. ., �* ~' two users who are worried about the van. ., �* ~ . ., ., , the van. i don't think creators voices are _ the van. i don't think creators voices are being _ the van. i don't think creators voices are being heard, - the van. i don't think creators voices are being heard, i - the van. i don't think creators| voices are being heard, i think there are businesses that will be further affected by this, decisions are being made at such a high level that you feel left out and powerless, even it is something that is a lifeline for some people and i don't think that is being taken into consideration as much as you think it would be. it consideration as much as you think it would be.— think it would be. it is where i am today — think it would be. it is where i am today and _ think it would be. it is where i am today and it _ think it would be. it is where i am today and it is - think it would be. it is where i am today and it is why - think it would be. it is where i am today and it is why i - think it would be. it is where i am today and it is why i am here— i am today and it is why i am here pursuing arts and entertainment in new york to this day _ entertainment in new york to this day. brands and companies, when _ this day. brands and companies, when they— this day. brands and companies, when they want to do advertisements, they wanted to be on _ advertisements, they wanted to be on tiktok so indirectly, tiktok— be on tiktok so indirectly, tiktok was the majority of my income — tiktok was the majority of my income because all brands want their— income because all brands want their stuff to be promoted on their stuff to be promoted on the un — their stuff to be promoted on the u. �* their stuff to be promoted on the u -. �* , their stuff to be promoted on the u. �* , ., their stuff to be promoted on theu.�* , ., ,., ., the up. i've been on instagram rimaril the up. i've been on instagram primarily and _ the up. i've been on instagram primarily and tiktok _ the up. i've been on instagram primarily and tiktok and - the up. i've been on instagram primarily and tiktok and the i primarily and tiktok and the audiences don't transfer as much as you think they would. i don't think there will be hundreds of thousands ——,

hundreds of thousands ——, hundreds of thousands of tiktok followers but only 10,000 instagram followers, that's not a survivable amount as a creator as a source of income. influencing, modelling, it is women— influencing, modelling, it is women dominated fields so tiktok— women dominated fields so tiktok is putting a lot of money— tiktok is putting a lot of money into women's pockets sol would _ money into women's pockets sol would hate — money into women's pockets sol would hate to see that go. people _ would hate to see that go. people are finding community, people — people are finding community, people who have never really had a — people who have never really had a voice are sharing the story— had a voice are sharing the story so— had a voice are sharing the story so i_ had a voice are sharing the story so i would hate to see all of — story so i would hate to see all of that go. 395 story so i would hate to see all of that go.— story so i would hate to see all of that go. as we mentioned earlier, all of that go. as we mentioned earlier. a _ all of that go. as we mentioned earlier. a tap — all of that go. as we mentioned earlier, a top adviser _ all of that go. as we mentioned earlier, a top adviser to - earlier, a top adviser to donald trump is ever us president—elect will find a way to save tiktok before a ban on the app takes effect this weekend. mike waltz, his incoming national security adviser, pointed to a law that allows for a 90 day extension for bytedance if significant progress has been made towards a sale. it is unclear if the plan will be implemented. to recap our top story this ally, official figures show china's economy grew by 5% last year. hitting the target set by the

government. but that is one of the slowest annual growth rates in decades and comes as the world �*s second—largest economy faces a number of challenges. will donald trump, set to return to the white house next week, promise to hit china with more tariffs. my colleague has written an article looking at the challenges faced by the chinese economy in 2025. you can read it at our website and it is also available on the up. and that's it for this edition of business