China's economy grew steadily in 2025, relying mainly onScience and technology innovationDriven industrial upgrading, strong domestic demand-supported double-cycle patterns, and deepeningReforming opennessReleased market dynamism. China's gross domestic product (GDP) grew by 5. 0 per cent during the year, with its economy exceeding 1. 4 trillion yuan for the first time, and its contribution to world economic growth is expected to remain at around 30 per cent, continuing to be a steady anchor in the global economy。
This achievement is not a coincidence, but the result of a systematic effort of multiple factors。
Science, technology and innovation: the core engine of new quality productivity
As the world sought new dynamics of growth, china looked to “new ways”. Science, technology and innovation are deeply integrated with industrial upgrading and become the first engine of steady growth. In 2025, the value added of higher- and higher-technology manufacturing increased by 9. 4 per cent, to 17. 1 per cent of the value added of industry; the value added of the digital economy is expected to reach $4. 9 trillion, with industrial internet integration applications covering all 41 major industrial categories。
What's more critical is that we have to be carefulGreen transitionStrong thrusts were provided - research showed that more than one third of china's economic growth in 2025 was driven by clean energy technologies such as solar energy and electric cars. Annual sales of new energy vehicles exceeded 16 million, ranking first in 11 consecutive years, while the clean energy industry produced 15. 4 trillion yuan, or 11. 4 per cent of GDP。
Behind these data is the rapid growth in the production of high-tech products, such as robotics and storage chips, which together constitute a vivid picture from “quantity accumulation” to “mass leap”。
Internal demand and dual cycles: the cornerstone of economic resilience
In the face of uncertainty in the external environment, the resilience of the chinese economy has come largely from “doing its own good”. Domestic demand played a ballast role: in 2025, domestic demand contributed 67. 3 per cent to economic growth, of which final consumption expenditure contributed 52. 0 per cent。
Retailing social consumer goods totalled more than 50 trillion yuan and was the second largest worldwide, while consumption of services had grown rapidly, reaching 46. 1 per cent per capita in service consumption, close to the “half-mile mountain”. The building of a single national market deepens, allowing for smoother flow of factors - i don't know. The ratio of total social logistics costs to GDP fell to 13. 9 per cent, a record low, implying a significant decline in the cost of running the economy。
For the first time in the international cycle, total imports and exports of goods exceeded $45 trillion, an increase of 3. 8 per cent, and are expected to be among the highest globally for nine consecutive years. Of particular note is the growth of imports and exports from private enterprises by 7. 1 per cent and the increase in the share of total imports and exports to 57. 3 per cent, as well as the rapid growth of imports and exports to markets such as the “one-way” countries, which effectively offset external fluctuations。
Reform and openness: revitalizing the market
Steady growth cannot be achieved without “sustained water” brought about by deep reforms. The efficiency of factor allocation continues to improve through the removal of market barriers. In 2025, negative market access listings were reduced to 106, with an average of 26,000 new businesses established every day throughout the year。
Promulgated and implementedPrivate economyAfter the promotion act, the private economy flourished - in fujian, the private sector contributed 77. 4 per cent to economic growth; in yunnan, the private sector contributed 53. 5 per cent of GDP and 55. 5 per cent to growth. The process of factor-marketing reform has also progressed steadily: the volume of electricity traded in the national electricity market has increased by 7. 4 per cent and the value of technology contracts has increased by 19. 1 per cent。
At the same time, high levels of openness to the outside world have stabilized the fundamentals, restrictions on fdi in manufacturing have been “zero” and cross-border trade facilitation initiatives have helped to reduce business costs by 20 per cent. These initiatives have allowed market owners to “go for it” and turn institutional advantages into endogenous drivers of growth。
Thus, the “stable” of china's economy in 2025 was not the result of a single factor, but rather of scientific, technological and technological innovation, domestic resilience, and reform of systems under open synergies. When the global economy is faced with uncertainty, this combination provides a stable basis for confidence in china and the world。
