China said extreme weather will have some impact on economic operations, but the effects are manageable and the broader trajectory remains intact, leaving the full-year growth target within reach. Speaking at an August 17 State Council Information Office press conference, Fu Linghui, spokesperson for China's National Bureau of Statistics (NBS), chief economist, and director of the Department of Comprehensive Statistics of the National Economy, said the economy has withstood external shocks and domestic difficulties while staying generally stable. From January to July, industrial value-added above designated size rose 5.3% year-on-year, the services production index increased 4.7%, the surveyed urban unemployment rate stood at 5.2%, consumer prices rose 0.9%, and total goods imports and exports climbed 17.3%, while the yuan exchange rate stayed broadly stable with slight appreciation and foreign exchange reserves remained above $3.4 trillion. Fu said new growth drivers, led by the digital economy, contributed more than 40% of economic growth in the first half and 50% of total growth in industrial value-added above designated size in the first seven months, with digital product manufacturing up 17.3% in July and the production index for information transmission, software, and IT services up 9.3%. He added that coordinated fiscal and monetary support, including the "two major projects," the "two new initiatives," and consumer goods trade-ins, is gaining traction, although China still faces a complex external environment and a relatively pronounced imbalance between strong supply and weak demand.