Robotic arms carry out packaging operation at the Global Intelligent Manufacturing Industrial Park of Yili Modern Intelligent Health Valley in Tumd Left Banner in Hohhot, north China's Inner Mongolia Autonomous Region, April 17, 2025. (Photo: Xinhua)

China's economy kept on expanding in 2025, with GDP reaching 140.19 trillion yuan ($20.13 trillion), rising 5-percent year-on-year, and the added output in the past five years accumulated at about 30 trillion yuan, the National Bureau of Statistics (NBS) said on Monday.

The economy in the 14th Five-Year Plan period (2021-25) was marked by four consecutive leaps - surpassing 110, 120, 130, and 140 trillion yuan - despite facing multiple unexpected shocks, Kang Yi, head of NBS, said at a press briefing on Monday explaining last year's data.

"The performance underscores a more solid economic foundation and stronger resilience. China's grain output has stabilized at 1.4 trillion jin (700 billion kilograms) for two consecutive years, while manufacturing value-added has ranked first globally for 16 years. The service sector now accounts for 57.7 percent of GDP, supported by the world's largest and most extensive mobile network. These provide a robust buffer against external pressures," said Kang.

Kang pointed out that the achievement reflects effective implementation of the country's new development philosophy, featuring high-tech innovation, coordination, green development, openness and shared benefits with partners.

New quality productive forces have advanced steadily, with China's global innovation ranking entering the top 10 for the first time in 2025.

High-tech manufacturing value-added grew at an average annual rate of 9.2 percent over the 14th Five-Year Plan period, driven by advanced digital technologies like AI and 5G. Clean energy transition has accelerated, ramping up competitiveness in new energy products, while resident income growth has aligned with overall economic expansion, said Kang.

"China's stable growth also translates into a significant contribution to the global economy, creating greater cooperation potential. In the 14th Five-Year Plan period, China contributed about 30 percent to world's economic growth, leveraging its complete industrial ecosystem, and injecting stability to a largely volatile world economy," said Kang.

In 2025, China's goods imports hit a new record of 18.5 trillion yuan. The reductions in the foreign investment negative list, expanded visa-free access, and optimized entry policies have broadened cooperation prospects with China's trade partners, Kang noted.

Kang defined China's economic performance last year as displaying "stable, progressive, innovative, and resilient" growth. "In 2025, high-tech manufacturing accounted for 17.1 percent of industrial value added, and domestic consumption contributed over 50 percent to GDP growth."

And, digital product manufacturing rose 9.3 percent year-on-year, with rapid increases in computer servers and industrial robots. The new growth trends mean the country's remarkable innovative capability, amid global trade disruptions and domestic structural transformation, said Kang.

"China's economy has continued to demonstrate strong resilience, navigating instability while achieving both quantitative leaps and qualitative improvements. The country is projected to contribute around 30 percent to global economic growth, serving as a stabilizer for world supply chains," said Kang.

"In summary, the 2025 economic results - summarized as stable, progressive, innovative, and resilient - signal Chinese economy's enduring vitality and capacity to advance high-quality development.

Global Times