In Q1 2025, China's GDP grew by 5.4 percent year-on-year, exceeding the annual growth rate of five percent recorded in 2024 and reinforcing its trajectory of stability and improvement. Facing multiple pressure, including geopolitical conflicts and trade conflicts, this achievement was backed up by technological innovation and industrial upgrading, entwined with technological breakthroughs, industrial upgrades, and global cooperation.
High-tech manufacturing emerged as the defining feature this year. The "AI+" initiative has gained stronger momentum, fueling rapid expansion in the digital industry. Official data shows that the added value of high-tech manufacturing rose 9.8 percent from January to April year-on-year. The production volumes of new energy vehicles (NEVs) and industrial robots respectively increased by 43.7 percent and 34.1 percent.
These figures reflect sustained R&D investments by Chinese enterprises and systematic upgrades across the national industrial chain. For example, China now dominates over 60 percent of the global NEV market, having built formidable competitive advantages through integrated advancements in battery technology, autonomous driving algorithms, and charging infrastructure. This "hard tech + ecosystem chain" model has positioned China as a leader in emerging technological sectors.
Simultaneously, domestic demand for technology product upgrades remains robust. The data from January to April shows that the government-backed trade-in scheme stimulated a 25.4 percent and 23.9 percent year-on-year increase in retail sales of communication equipment and household appliances (including audio-visual equipments) respectively. Significant growth in shareholder net profits within these sectors underscores the effectiveness of policy-driven demand stimulation. This policy-market synergy not only activates consumer potential but also compels enterprises to accelerate innovation, fostering a dual-engine dynamic.
Breakthroughs in green technology are also important. In Q1 2025, the country's newly installed capacity of renewable energy reached 76.75 million kW, increasing by 21 percent year-on-year. Its cost advantages and technological iteration capabilities are reshaping the global energy structure. Progress in cutting-edge fields such as photovoltaic panels, hydrogen fuel cells and carbon capture technologies further solidifies China's leading position in the green transition. Amid the global environmental crisis, this ability to transform environmental challenges into innovation momentum exemplifies its economic resilience.
Notably, in the face of widespread global conflict, China is reconstructing global sci-tech cooperation with a more open attitude. In late 2024 and early 2025, China open-sourced codes of globally influential products such as DeepSeek and the Tien Kung humanoid robot. This technology spillover effect provides developing countries with Chinese solutions for digital transformation. Actively engaging in global governance such as the AI ethics framework, China advocates for equitable international cooperation mechanisms. This balance of openness and self-reliance offers fresh perspectives for global technological development.
Looking ahead, with ongoing breakthroughs in fields such as semiconductors and AI, China's technological innovation will play a more critical role in the global industrial chain. This presents more opportunities. For the world, the Chinese model demonstrates that technological autonomy and open cooperation are not mutually exclusive.
China's latest economic performance not only showcases how sci-tech innovation is driving growth but also highlights how technology-driven industrial upgrades consolidate economic resilience. Amidst the intertwining trends of globalization and deglobalization, China's choice indicates that only by adhering to innovation-driven development and deepening international cooperation, can certainty be found amid uncertainties, injecting more positive energy into global economic recovery.