HONG KONG – Newly released government data shows China’s outbound shipments recorded a stronger-than-forecast 14.1% year-on-year jump in April, defying headwinds from the ongoing conflict in Iran and the lingering drag of elevated U.S. tariffs. The stronger-than-expected growth figures land just five days before a high-stakes scheduled meeting between U.S. President Donald Trump and Chinese President Xi Jinping in Beijing, a gathering that will bring a host of contentious bilateral and global issues to the negotiating table.