China's electricity consumption, a key barometer of economic activity, reached 2.5141 trillion kilowatt-hours in the first quarter of 2026, up 5.2 percent year on year, according to data released by the National Energy Administration on Monday.
A breakdown of the data shows robust growth across various sectors, as the country's economy got off to a good start in the first quarter with new growth drivers.
From January to March, China's primary industry saw an increase of 7.1 percent in power consumption, bringing total power used to 33.6 billion kilowatt-hours. The secondary industry consumed nearly 1.6 trillion kilowatt-hours, up 4.7 percent from a year ago. Within this sector, the high-tech and equipment manufacturing industry posted particularly strong growth, with electricity consumption increasing 8.6 percent year on year.
The tertiary industry recorded 8.1-percent growth in power use, totaling 483.3 billion kilowatt-hours. Notably, the battery charging and swapping service sector consumed 37.6 billion kilowatt-hours, surging 53.8 percent, while the internet data service sector used 22.9 billion kilowatt-hours, up 44 percent. The power consumption of urban and rural residents was 398.5 billion kilowatt-hours, increasing by 3.4 percent year on year.
In March alone, electricity consumption reached 859.5 billion kilowatt-hours, up 3.5 percent year on year.
China's economy grew five percent in the first quarter, outpacing expectations of some overseas institutions and reinforcing the country's role as a stabilizing force in an increasingly volatile global economy.
China's power use up 5.2 percent in Q1
A local villager has captured rare footage of a wild giant panda roaming freely on a hillside in southwest China's Sichuan Province, with the creature spotted strolling by a nearby building.
In the clip shot by a local resident in Pingwu County of Mianyang City on May 8, the wild giant panda appears to be quietly going about its business as it slowly climbs a hillside with a calm and unhurried gait.
Many netizens raised questions after seeing the footage online, prompting an expert to share insights about the panda and offer some safety precautions.
Tu Zhengbin, deputy head of the Wildlife Protection Section of Forestry and Grassland Bureau in Pingwu County, explained why the panda is likely to have appeared at this location and detailed its physical condition.
"From the video, there is a reservoir nearby. It may have come down to drink some water. Based on the panda's size and its fur, we can basically determine that it is an adult giant panda. Moreover, you can see that the panda is walking rather briskly, indicating that it is in quite good health," said Tu.
Pingwu is one of the areas with the highest concentration of wild giant pandas in China, with more than 52 percent of the county's land area being designated as part of the Giant Panda National Park.
In recent years, local authorities have continued to capture numerous images of wild giant pandas using unobtrusive scientific monitoring methods such as infrared cameras.
The frequency of wild giant pandas coming down from the mountains and wandering into human-inhabited areas has also notably increased.
With this in mind, Tu also emphasized that proper safety measures should be taken when encountering a wild giant panda.
"If we encounter a giant panda in the wild, the first thing to do is to stay away from it. The second is to not make any loud noises. This way, we can both protect the giant panda and ensure our own safety," he said.
The number of wild giant pandas in China has risen from around 1,100 in the 1980s to nearly 1,900 today, with the steady increase being largely down to the comprehensive conservation efforts undertaken in recent years.
Rare sighting as wild giant panda spotted strolling on hillside in southwest China
