China’s economy began to show faint signs of recovery in the last three months after stalling earlier this year, according to data released on Monday after a six-day delay during the Communist Party’s national congress.The modest rebound in activity exceeded the expectations of Western economists, who had estimated growth of a little over 3 percent.In contrast, Mr. Xi, the party leader, has put a premium on social stability and national security, often with actions that have also had the effect of slowing economic growth and employment.Mr. Xi spoke during the congress of making sure that income accrues to those who labor to earn it — an implicit rebuke to those who earn their livelihoods through trading or investment.The better-than-expected data suggested that the government’s motive in delaying the release was to avoid having any news last week that might distract from the party congress."