China’s GDP in the first quarter of 2025 reached 31.875 trillion yuan (approximately $4.337 trillion), showing a 5.4% year-on-year increase and a 1.2% rise compared to the previous quarter, according to figures released by the National Bureau of Statistics (NBS) on Wednesday.
The stronger than expected economic growth was fueled by robust performance across sectors, with the primary sector growing by 3.5%, the secondary by 5.9%, and the tertiary by 5.3%. Industrial output from larger enterprises rose 6.5% year-on-year in Q1 and jumped to 7.7% in March alone.
Among industrial sectors, equipment manufacturing and high-tech manufacturing recorded standout performances, increasing by 10.9% and 9.7% respectively. The services industry also continued its momentum, particularly in modern services like IT, software, and information transmission, which expanded by 9.9%.
Agriculture remained stable, with the added value from crop production increasing by 4.0% compared to the same period last year.
The consumer sector showed a steady recovery, as total retail sales of consumer goods rose 4.6% year-on-year. Fixed-asset investments also saw consistent growth, especially in high-tech industries, which rose 6.5%. Trade showed positive momentum, with total import-export value increasing by 1.3% and exports climbing 6.9% to 6.13 trillion yuan. Per capita disposable income grew by 5.6% in real terms.
The NBS report concluded that China’s economy is steadily improving, supported by macroeconomic policies. The foundation for domestic growth continues to strengthen, innovation is playing a greater role, and new economic drivers are gaining momentum, despite facing a challenging international environment.
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