The business travel industry in China is growing at a fast clip, and new data shows Chinese business travelers outspent American counterparts by $1 billion in 2015. The Global Business Travel Association released a new report that showed the United States spent $290.2 billion in 2015 on business travel, while Chinese business travelers spent $291.2 billion. China’s spending is predicted to grow in this area in the immediate future despite a lagging domestic economy. “Despite a relative slowdown, China’s business travel market remains one of the fastest growing in the world. China surpassing the United States in business travel spending marks a major inflection point and truly demonstrates the global nature of today’s economy,” said Michael W. McCormick, executive director and COO, GBTA. China is expected to spend 10.1 percent more in 2016. American business travel spending will likely grow more modestly, by just 1.9 percent. The GBTA says Chinese business travel spending growth will be a little lower, 9.8 percent, in 2017.