Amid mounting global economic uncertainty driven by geopolitical tensions, trade frictions and slowing growth, the Chinese economy has maintained its momentum and upgrade, reinforcing its role as a key anchor of global stability.
Official data showed China's gross domestic product (GDP) grew 4.7 percent year on year in the first half of 2026 (H1). The figures also pointed to solid foreign trade performance, expanding new growth drivers, and continued economic resilience.
The world's second-largest economy has operated within an appropriate range, and its underlying economic fundamentals remain unchanged.
The International Monetary Fund recently lowered its forecast for global economic growth this year to 3 percent, while raising its projection for China's full-year growth by 0.2 percentage points to 4.6 percent, making China one of the few major economies to receive an upward revision.
Behind the growth figures lies a sound coordination between development and security.
The severe global energy shock triggered by the blockade of the Strait of Hormuz has left major energy consumers and Gulf producers highly vulnerable, yet China's long-term strategic planning has rendered it uniquely resilient to the turmoil.
"The yellow roller-coaster-like curve represents the spot price of gasoline in the international market this year, with its highest increase reaching 120 percent. The red curve represents the domestic spot price of gasoline in China during the same period. Its brief peak was only about two-thirds of the yellow one, and it dropped rapidly. The subsequent trend remained stable," said Han Zuqiang, head of the Trading and Settlement Department under the Hainan International Energy Exchange. In March, China announced temporary control measures on the retail prices of gasoline and diesel.
In terms of domestic production, China's total oil and gas output reached 420 million tons of oil equivalent in 2025, a new record high, according to a report released by the National Energy Administration (NEA).
Crude oil output hit an all-time high of 216 million tons in 2025, while natural gas output registered an annual increase of over 10 billion cubic meters for the ninth consecutive year, marking a notable improvement in the country's independent energy security capacity.
China's domestic oil and gas supply is expected to reach 440 million tons of oil equivalent by 2030 under a new five-year plan for the sector, the NEA said on Monday.
In addition, China has advanced its clean energy and green transition, aiming to establish a clean, low-carbon, secure and efficient new energy system by 2030, according to a plan issued this year by the National Development and Reform Commission and the NEA.
In 2026, China has secured a bumper summer grain harvest with a total output topping 150 million tons for the first time, a milestone achieved despite challenges such as late sowing and unfavorable weather conditions.
Wheat output reached 138.95 million tons, up 0.6 percent year on year. Winter wheat, the main component of summer grain, accounted for 136.54 million tons, up 0.8 percent. Twenty-two of China's 25 summer grain-producing provinces reported increased output, the National Bureau of Statistics (NBS) data showed.
For China's economic development, innovation and industrial upgrading are emerging as strong drivers.
Artificial intelligence (AI) has become a reliable engine for China's industrial transformation. From factories and mines to classrooms and hospital wards, emerging AI applications are creating new businesses and reshaping the world's second-largest economy.
Global economic challenges are unlikely to disappear anytime soon, yet China's commitment to high-quality development, technological innovation, and high-standard opening-up provides a solid foundation for sustainable growth.
As these strengths continue to unfold, China will remain an important contributor to global economic stability and a reliable partner in advancing shared prosperity.
China's economy keeps moving forward amid challenges
