China's economy has entered 2025 on a strong footing continuing its growth momentum, said Fu Linghui, spokesman for the National Bureau of Statistics (NBS), at a press conference in Beijing on Monday.
Fu's comments followed a media inquiry about the highlights and positive developments in China's economic performance during the first two months of 2025.
Fu emphasized that with the implementation of a more proactive fiscal policy and a moderately loose monetary policy, the synergy between both existing and new measures has strengthened.
"In January and February, China's economy has maintained steady growth, extending the positive trend of rebound and growth in the fourth quarter of last year. In terms of production, the total value added of industrial enterprises above the designated size grew by 5.9 percent year on year in January and February, 0.1 percentage points faster than the full-year rate of 2024. Notably, the value-added output of equipment manufacturing saw a 10.6 percent increase, significantly contributing to the overall industrial growth. The service production index went up 5.6 percent year over year, 0.4 percentage points faster than the full-year rate of 2024," Fu said.
"On the demand side, the total retail sales of consumer goods in January and February grew by 4 percent year on year, a growth rate that was 0.5 percentage points higher than that of last year as a whole. Domestic trips during the Spring Festival rose by 5.9 percent in the first two months, while transaction volumes on tourism service platforms surged by over 20 percent. Ski resorts across the country saw a 22.8 percent increase in visitors during the 2024-2025 winter season, and a Chinese animated film broke multiple box office records," Fu emphasized.
"The investment in fixed assets (excluding rural households) rose by 4.1 percent in the first two months, 0.9 percentage points faster than last year. In terms of employment, the urban unemployment rate averaged 5.3 percent during January and February, virtually unchanged from the same period last year," Fu continued.
"Regarding new energy productive forces, the total value-added of high-tech manufacturing enterprises above the designated size saw a 9.1 percent increase year over year in the first two month, with the production of new energy vehicles jumping 47.7 percent despite last year's high base," the spokesman said.
"Market expectations have improved, spurred by more proactive macroeconomic policies and breakthroughs in emerging fields like artificial intelligence. President Xi Jinping's speech at a symposium on private enterprises has significantly boosted the confidence among private businesses and the broader society. In February, the Purchasing Manager Index (PMI) of China's manufacturing industry was 50.2 percent, while the non-manufacturing business activity index stood at 50.4 percent, up 1.1 and 0.2 percentage points, respectively, from January," he added, referring to the Feb 17 symposium on private enterprises that gathered the heads of China's leading enterprises, such as Alibaba, Huawei, DeepSeek, and BYD.
China's key economic data shows robust growth momentum in early 2025: NBS
China's economy enters 2025 on strong footing with key data showing robust growth momentum
China is willing to provide humanitarian assistance to Cambodia to help resettle displaced people in border areas, Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi said on Sunday in Yuxi, southwest China's Yunnan Province.
Wang, also a member of the Political Bureau of the Communist Party of China Central Committee, made the remarks during a meeting with Prak Sokhonn, Cambodian Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation.
Following the signing of a joint statement agreeing to a ceasefire, the Cambodian and Thai foreign ministers are leading delegations meeting in Yunnan from Dec. 28 to 29 at Wang's invitation.
China has been closely following the tense situation on the Cambodia-Thailand border and remains committed to facilitating peace through talks, Wang said, adding that China congratulates both sides on reaching a ceasefire agreement.
The ceasefire marks the beginning of peacebuilding, Wang said, calling on the two sides to proceed in a phased and measured approach to promote a comprehensive and lasting ceasefire, restore normal interactions, rebuild mutual trust, achieve turnaround in bilateral relations, and uphold peace and stability in the region.
He said that both countries can make good use of this face-to-face opportunity for diplomatic and military representatives to engage in dialogue and communication in a flexible manner, enhance mutual understanding, and build mutual trust. He also expressed hope that all sides would jointly send a message of peace from Yunnan, reach a consensus on peace, and demonstrate prospects for peace.
China supports ASEAN in playing its due role and stands ready to provide assistance to the ASEAN observation mission in monitoring the ceasefire, Wang said.
He added that China also hopes Cambodia will continue to enhance protection for Chinese citizens and projects in the country.
Cambodia highly values China's positive role in mediating the conflict, said Prak Sokhonn, citing the informal tea gathering among the foreign ministers of Cambodia, China and Thailand in Anning, Yunnan Province, as well as shuttle diplomacy conducted by China's special envoy.
Thanks to the joint efforts of China and other parties, Cambodia and Thailand were able to convene a meeting of the Joint Boundary Commission, and their militaries signed a ceasefire agreement, he said.
Sokhonn said Cambodia is ready to work with Thailand to fully implement the ceasefire agreement, make full use of existing dialogue mechanisms, and steadily build mutual trust between the two countries and their armed forces.
These steps, he noted, are vital to restoring bilateral exchanges, normalizing relations, and resolving the boundary issue at an early date.
Cambodia hopes for the early arrival of peace and expects the trilateral meeting to help rebuild lasting stability, he said.
The two sides also exchanged views on China-Cambodia relations, agreeing that under the strategic guidance of the leaders of the two countries, positive progress has been made in building an all-weather Cambodia-China community with a shared future in the new era.
The Cambodian side expressed gratitude for China's support and assistance to its development, describing China as its most reliable and trusted partner. It reaffirmed its adherence to the one-China principle, its opposition to Taiwan secessionism, and its support for China's reunification cause.
China will deliver humanitarian aid to Cambodia for displaced people along border: Chinese FM
