In 2025, ten ordinary prefecture-level cities achieved a GDP exceeding one trillion yuan, marking an increase of one city compared to the previous year.
Beyond municipalities directly under the central government, provincial capitals, and cities specifically designated in the state plan, several ordinary prefecture-level cities have demonstrated robust economic development, playing a pivotal and leading role in regional economic growth.
Following Wenzhou's breakthrough of the trillion-yuan GDP threshold in 2025, there are now ten ordinary prefecture-level cities in the trillion-yuan GDP club. These include Suzhou, Wuxi, Nantong, and Changzhou in Jiangsu province; Foshan and Dongguan in Guangdong province; Quanzhou in Fujian province; Yantai in Shandong province; Tangshan in Hebei province; and Wenzhou in Zhejiang province.
Among them, Suzhou has consistently held the top position among ordinary prefecture-level cities for many years. As the economically "strongest prefecture-level city," the Suzhou Municipal Bureau of Statistics announced the city's 2025 economic performance on February 2nd. According to the unified accounting results of the regional Gross Domestic Product from Jiangsu province, Suzhou achieved a GDP of 2,769.51 billion yuan in 2025, representing a year-on-year growth of 5.4% calculated at constant prices.
Suzhou has been at the forefront of economic transformation and upgrading among prefecture-level cities in recent years, boasting a highly developed industrial and manufacturing sector. Data shows that in 2025, industry served as a crucial stabilizer for Suzhou's economy. The industrial sector contributed 53.0% to the city's economic growth. The total output value of industries above a designated size reached 4.9 trillion yuan. The output value of the top six leading industries amounted to 3,208.84 billion yuan, an increase of 4.0% over the previous year, contributing 67.3% to the growth of the total output value of industries above the designated size.
On January 21st, Jiangsu Aishelun Medical Technology Group Co., Ltd. was listed on the Beijing Stock Exchange, becoming the first new A-share listed company in Jiangsu province and Suzhou city for 2026. Furthermore, statistics indicate that in 2025, a total of 116 companies conducted Initial Public Offerings (IPOs) on the A-share market, with an impressive 12 of those companies hailing from Suzhou. This equates to roughly one out of every ten new listed companies originating from Suzhou, surpassing major first-tier cities and ranking first among all cities.
Following Suzhou, Wuxi, also located in Southern Jiangsu, has long held the second position in terms of economic aggregate among ordinary prefecture-level cities. Data reveals that the city achieved a full-year GDP of 1,677.394 billion yuan in 2025, representing a year-on-year increase of 5.1% at constant prices. From the perspective of county-level economies, four of the top five county-level GDPs in China are currently located in the Southern Jiangsu region, namely the "Four Little Dragons of Southern Jiangsu" (Kunshan, Jiangyin, Zhangjiagang, and Changshu). Among these, Kunshan, Zhangjiagang, and Changshu belong to Suzhou, while Jiangyin is part of Wuxi.
The number of ordinary prefecture-level cities with a GDP exceeding one trillion yuan reached ten in 2025, an increase of one from the previous year. Data from the Wenzhou Municipal Bureau of Statistics shows that, according to the unified accounting results for regional GDP, Wenzhou's GDP historically surpassed the trillion-yuan mark in 2025, reaching 1,021.39 billion yuan. Calculated at constant prices, this represents a growth rate of 6.1% compared to the previous year, which is 1.1 percentage points higher than the national average and 0.6 percentage points higher than the provincial average.
In Wenzhou, the value-added of industries above the designated size increased by 10.3% year-on-year in 2025, continuously leading the growth rate within the province. Breaking down by sector, among 33 major industrial categories, 28 saw positive growth in value-added, with a growth coverage rate of 84.8%. Twelve industries maintained double-digit growth. Advantageous industries were consolidated and enhanced, with the value-added of the automotive parts and electrical industries above the designated size growing by 19.0% and 13.6%, respectively. Emerging industries gathered momentum through cluster development, as the value-added of strategic emerging industries, equipment manufacturing, high-tech industries, and core manufacturing industries in the digital economy above the designated size increased by 14.4%, 13.6%, 11.8%, and 16.4%, respectively, compared to the previous year.
Tang Haiju, Deputy Director of the Zhejiang Provincial Urban Science Research Association, analyzed that Wenzhou inherently possesses distinct characteristics and excellent external resources. Wenzhou natives are not only spread throughout the country but also across the globe, bringing abundant capital, information, and other resources. In recent years, by expanding platforms and other methods, Wenzhou has been actively working to leverage these resource advantages effectively.
Tang Haiju stated that Wenzhou has made significant efforts in recent years to rejuvenate its traditional industries and cultivate emerging industries, creating favorable conditions for development. By emphasizing scientific and technological development and strengthening higher education institutions, the enhanced scientific and technological capabilities and robust university system can more effectively support the growth of local industries. Concurrently, the continuous improvement of transportation infrastructure, such as high-speed rail in Zhejiang, has enabled Hangzhou's educational and scientific resources to serve Wenzhou's industrial upgrading more efficiently, thereby boosting the local economy.
Furthermore, Xuzhou is just a step away from joining the trillion-yuan GDP club. Data released by the Xuzhou Municipal Bureau of Statistics on February 2nd shows that, according to the unified accounting results for regional GDP, the city achieved a GDP of 995.722 billion yuan in 2025, representing a year-on-year growth of 5.8% calculated at constant prices. Xuzhou's冲刺 for "trillion-yuan city" status is missing only by a narrow margin.
Xuzhou had already completed a GDP of 953.7 billion yuan in 2024. According to a report, during the discussion at the Tongshan District delegation meeting on the afternoon of the opening day of the Sixth Session of the 17th Xuzhou Municipal People's Congress on January 21st, Song Lewei, Secretary of the Xuzhou Municipal Committee, expressed his attitude towards the "trillion-yuan" topic: be realistic and let things take their natural course. "Don't be obsessed with this number; we cannot be burdened by figures," Song Lewei admitted. He mentioned that someone had asked him what would happen if the target was met or not. "We must establish a correct view of political achievements. I personally have been pondering this issue for some time as well. Regardless, we should develop as we ought to, focusing on solid and substantial development," Song Lewei said.
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