The revenue of China's software industry exceeded 13 trillion yuan (about 1.78 trillion U.S. dollars) in 2024, contributing 4.4 percent to the nation's GDP, according to information released at the 4th China International Software Development Conference held in Beijing on Thursday.
"Last year, China's software business revenue reached 13.7 trillion yuan, a year-on-year increase of over 10 percent and a 44.2 percent growth compared to the beginning of the 14th Five-Year Plan (2021-2025) period," said Xie Shaofeng, chief engineer of the Ministry of Industry and Information Technology (MIIT).
Data from the MIIT also revealed a record high of over 2.8 million software copyright registrations, up 13 percent year-on-year.
In the first two months of this year, the revenue of information technology services maitained double-digit growth, reaching over 1.26 trillion yuan. Cloud computing and big data services generated 237.6 billion yuan in revenue, an 8.8 percent year-on-year increase.
Furthermore, the widespread adoption of artificial intelligence (AI) is expected to further propel the industry's growth. By enhancing software development efficiency and quality while lowering technical barriers, AI is poised to transform the sector.
"An intelligent complex will integrate platform data, computing power, case studies, and tools to provide users with ready-made solutions," said Chen Baoguo, executive deputy secretary-general of the China Software Industry Association.
Chen predicts that AI will contribute to over 20 percent of annual growth in the software market over the next five years, driving the industry's intelligent upgrade and creating new growth opportunities.
China's software industry achieves robust growth last year
The number of temporary accommodation registrations of foreign nationals in Shanghai hit a record high of 7.139 million in 2025, up 49.6 percent from the previous year, the Exit-Entry Administration Corps of the Shanghai Municipal Public Security Bureau said at a press briefing on Thursday.
The figure, which had already doubled in 2024, points to a continued rise in the number of foreign nationals visiting and staying in the city, highlighting the metropolis's growing appeal to international visitors.
Shanghai also issued more than 200,000 visas and residence permits to foreigners for the second consecutive year in 2025.
Long-term permits, including residence permits, accounted for a share 10 percentage points higher than the previous year, reflecting growing demand for extended stays.
Officials said the increase mirrors Shanghai's expanding openness and improving services for foreign visitors and residents.
"In 2025, Shanghai processed 7.139 million temporary accommodation registrations for foreigners. Following a doubling from the year before last, the figure rose by another 49.6 percent year on year, marking a historical high in the number of foreign nationals coming to Shanghai," said Song Weiqi, deputy head of the administration corps.
Accommodation registrations are required for foreigners staying in China. In 2025, 94.7 percent of temporary accommodation registrations were handled directly by hotels, resulting in a convenient check-in process.
Among foreigners residing in Shanghai's residential communities, 84.8 percent opted for online self-reporting via a multilingual platform that offers efficient, flexible registration.
Meanwhile, to ease the surge in passport applications for foreign travel ahead of the upcoming Chinese New Year holiday in mid-February, the administration corps announced plans to extend service hours for residents.
Shanghai hits a record-high 7.14 million expat accommodation registrations in 2025
