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China projects ‘outward confidence’ amid economic anxiety, US congressional panel says

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Han Liin WashingtonPublished: 5:21am, 13 Aug 2026Updated: 6:17am, 13 Aug 2026

A US congressional advisory body on China said the country is projecting an image of confidence even as concerns about its economy and future growth remain beneath the surface, following a week-long visit to Beijing, Shanghai and Hangzhou in July.

Members of the US-China Economic and Security Review Commission (USCC) discussed their observations during a wide-ranging press briefing on Wednesday, offering new details about meetings with Chinese officials that had not previously been disclosed.

“I think there’s an outward confidence,” USCC chairman Randy Shriver said. “There’s a lot of anxiety about the state of the economy and economic performance and potential for growth.”

Shriver, a former assistant secretary of defence for Indo-Pacific security affairs, said it was important to observe conditions in China first-hand, noting that the commission’s last official visit was in 2019.

“It’s one thing to hear and read about ‘ghost cities,’” he said. “It’s another thing to take the high-speed rail and see these enormous developments with apartment building on top of apartment building, and not a single light is on.”

Commissioner Chris Slevin said China’s confidence was especially apparent in conversations about artificial intelligence.

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