Select the most appropriate option to fill in the blank.

A sustained decline in Chinese consumption would be even more ______ than the current US-China trade dispute.

worrying

The most appropriate option to fill in the blank is worrying.

The word worrying means to be filled with or causing worry or anxiety. In this case, the sentence is saying that a sustained decline in Chinese consumption would be even more worrying than the current US-China trade dispute. This means that it would be a cause for even greater concern.

The other options do not make sense in the context of the sentence.

• Imaging means to create a mental picture of something.
• Delaying means to postpone or put off something.
• Mobilizing means to gather or organize people or resources for a particular purpose.