BEIJING -- China's consumer prices rose at their fastest rate in over two years in September, data showed on Friday, just days ahead of a key leadership meeting where the sputtering economy will top the agenda.
The fresh inflation figures came as China's central bank chief pledged on Friday to step up support for the world's second-largest economy as it grapples with the impact of a global slowdown and Beijing's zero-COVID policy, which forced repeated lockdowns in major cities that hurt consumer spending and production.