Mubasher: China’s economic growth slowed down to its weakest quarterly pace since 2009 amid escalating trade tensions between the country and the US.

The world's second-largest economy reported its economy grew 6.5% year-on-year in the third quarter of 2018, missing expectations of a 6.6% growth, according to official data released on Friday.

The gross domestic product (GDP) data were also below 6.7% rate, as compared with Q3-17.

Meanwhile, the country's economy grew 1.6% quarter-on-quarter, according to the National Bureau of Statistics.

China also reported that industrial production for September went up 5.8% year-on-year, and that retail sales rose 9.2%.

Fixed asset investment for the first nine-month period of this year increased by 5.4%, as compared with the January-September period of 2017.

China previously posted GDP growth of 6.7% year-over-year for Q2-18, slightly lower than 6.8% in the Q1-18.

The Chinese government is seeking a growth target of around 6.5% this year.

China’s economy grew 6.7% year-on-year in the first nine months of 2018, according to official statistics.