BEIJING - China said that consumer prices slumped in April for the third straight month, reflecting persistent challenges as leaders attempt to revive an economy stymied by sluggish spending and a fierce trade war with Washington.
The world's second-largest economy has grappled with persistent deflationary pressure in recent years, as longstanding woes in the property sector and export headwinds impede growth.
The latest figures come ahead of Saturday's start to a meeting of key economic officials from China and the United States in Switzerland, offering a potential off-ramp for the high-stakes trade war launched by President Donald Trump.
US tariffs on imports from manufacturing powerhouse China now stand at a staggering 145 percent for many products -- and reach as high as 245 percent cumulatively on others.
Trump suggested Friday that the tariffs could be cut to 80 percent, though Beijing has demanded a complete cancellation of the levies that are compounding other challenges facing the Chinese economy.
The consumer price index (CPI) -- a key measure of inflation -- was down 0.1 percent last month year-on-year, according to data released Saturday by the National Bureau of Statistics (NBS), following previous drops in February and March.
The reading was in line with a Bloomberg forecast of a 0.1 percent year-on-year decline based on a survey of economists, and consistent with the slight drop recorded in March.
NBS statistician Dong Lijuan said Saturday in a statement about the data that "international imported factors have a certain downward impact on prices in some industries".
"China still faces persistent deflationary pressure," said Zhiwei Zhang, President and Chief Economist at Pinpoint Asset Management, in a note.
The intensity of contributing factors "may rise in coming months as exports will likely weaken", said Zhang, adding that "more proactive fiscal policy is necessary to boost domestic demand".