China reported a better-than-expected economic growth as the world’s second largest economy took advantage of a trade truce with the US amid President Donald Trump’s tariff offensive.

China's economy is likely to have cooled in the second quarter after a solid start to the year, as trade tensions and a prolonged property downturn drag on demand, raising pressure on policymakers to roll out additional stimulus to underpin growth.

This year's first-half growth was boosted by government stimulus and a temporary pause in the US-China trade war, which allowed exporters rush out shipments ahead of new tariffs.