China’s 5% growth among highest globally, contributes 30% to world expansion: NBS

BEIJING: China's gross domestic product (GDP) grew 5 percent year-on-year in 2025, reaching a record high of 140.1 trillion yuan ($20 trillion), data from the National Bureau of Statistics (NBS) revealed on Saturday.

China’s 5 percent economic growth rate ranks among the highest of the world’s major economies, with the country projected to contribute around 30 percent of global economic growth, according to National Bureau of Statistics of China (NBS) Deputy Head Sheng Laiyun.

Sheng said China remains the largest contributor to global growth and serves as a key stabilising anchor for the world economy amid mounting external uncertainties.

High-quality opening-up continued to gain momentum over the past year. Total imports and exports of goods reached 45.4 trillion yuan, marking a year-on-year increase of 3.8 percent. Trade with partner countries under the Belt and Road Initiative (BRI) rose by 6.3 percent and accounted for 51.9 percent of China’s total foreign trade.

Meanwhile, trade with other members of the Regional Comprehensive Economic Partnership (RCEP) expanded by 5.3 percent compared with the previous year, reflecting deepening regional economic integration.

Official data also showed that 70,392 foreign-invested enterprises were newly established nationwide in 2025, representing a sharp 19.1 percent increase year on year. Of these, more than 19,000 were set up by investors from BRI partner countries, up 14.7 percent from a year earlier.

Following the expansion of China’s visa-free policy, inbound visits by foreign nationals surged significantly. The NBS recorded 30.08 million inbound trips in 2025, marking a 49.5 percent increase compared with the previous year.

Sheng noted that despite a complex external environment characterised by rising unilateralism and protectionism, China remains committed to advancing high-standard opening-up and actively participating in global economic governance.

By strengthening supply chain stability, sharing development benefits with other countries and fulfilling its global responsibilities, China has demonstrated what Sheng described as the role of a major country on the international stage.