China GDP 2025 +5%

According to data released by the National Bureau of Statistics, China’s gross domestic product increased by 5 per cent year on year in 2025, reaching USD 20 trillion and in line with the government’s annual growth target.

Growth showed a gradual moderation over the course of the year. In the October–December period, the economy expanded by 4.5 per cent compared with the same period of the previous year, easing from 4.8 per cent in the third quarter, after recording stronger growth rates of 5.2 per cent in the second quarter and 5.4 per cent in the first quarter.

Value-added industrial output rose by 5.9 per cent year on year over the full year, reflecting relatively stable manufacturing activity, while growth in December accelerated to 5.2 per cent from 4.8 per cent in November.

Retail sales, a key indicator of consumer spending, increased by 3.7 per cent in 2025, although momentum softened towards year-end, with retail sales in December rising by 0.9 per cent compared with 1.3 per cent growth recorded in November.

Fixed-asset investment, which measures expenditure on infrastructure, property, machinery and equipment, declined by 3.8 per cent in 2025, following a contraction of 2.6 per cent in the first eleven months of the year, highlighting a slower pace in the investment activity.

The surveyed urban unemployment rate stood at 5.1 per cent in December, remaining unchanged from November, according to data.