China's economy demonstrated a strong start in the first quarter of the "15th Five-Year Plan" period, with key macroeconomic indicators showing improvement. According to preliminary calculations, the gross domestic product (GDP) reached 33.4193 trillion yuan, representing a year-on-year increase of 5.0% at constant prices. This marks an acceleration of 0.5 percentage points compared to the previous quarter, indicating a solid foundation for the year ahead.
Breakdown by industry shows the primary industry added value of 1.1941 trillion yuan, up 3.8% year-on-year; the secondary industry reached 11.6135 trillion yuan, growing 4.9%; while the tertiary industry expanded by 5.2% to 20.6117 trillion yuan. Agricultural production remained stable, with planting intentions for grain crops showing overall stability. Industrial and service sectors maintained steady growth, with value-added industrial output up 6.1% and service sector growth at 5.2%.
Price levels remained generally stable, with the consumer price index (CPI) rising 0.9% year-on-year. Fixed asset investment grew steadily at 1.7%, turning positive after previous declines. Infrastructure investment surged 8.9%, while manufacturing investment increased 4.1%. Retail sales of consumer goods reached 12.7695 trillion yuan, up 2.4%, with green consumption showing strong momentum - new energy vehicle penetration rate reached 51.5% in March.
The employment situation remained stable, with urban surveyed unemployment rate averaging 5.3%. External trade demonstrated remarkable resilience, with total goods import and export value growing 15.0% to 11.838 trillion yuan - the highest quarterly growth rate in nearly five years.
China's new quality productive forces developed steadily, showing characteristics of high-end, intelligent, green and innovative development. High-tech manufacturing value-added increased 12.5%, while artificial intelligence applications saw rapid expansion. Green transformation created new growth points, with lithium-ion battery and wind turbine output growing 40.8% and 30.1% respectively.
Economic authorities expressed confidence in maintaining stable growth throughout the year, citing strong institutional advantages, industrial foundation, and market potential. Domestic demand contributed 84.7% to growth, while policy measures continue to support economic stability. The combination of industrial upgrading, demand improvement, and continued opening-up provides solid foundation for handling external challenges and achieving annual development targets.
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