In 2023, the gross domestic product (GDP) of China amounted to around 17.8 trillion U.S. dollars. In comparison to the GDP of the other BRIC countries India, Russia and Brazil, China came first that year and second in the world GDP ranking. The stagnation of China's GDP in U.S. dollar terms in 2022 and 2023 was mainly due to the appreciation of the U.S. dollar. China's real GDP growth was three percent in 2022 and 5.2 percent in 2023. In 2023, per capita GDP in China reached around 12,600 U.S. dollars. Economic performance in China Gross domestic product (GDP) is a primary economic indicator. It measures the total value of all goods and services produced in an economy over a certain time period. China's economy used to grow quickly in the past, but the growth rate of China’s real GDP gradually slowed down in recent years, and year-on-year GDP growth is forecasted to range at only around four percent in the years after 2023. Since 2010, China has been the world’s second-largest economy, surpassing Japan.China’s emergence in the world’s economy has a lot to do with its status as the ‘world’s factory’. Since 2013, China is the largest export country in the world. Some argue that it is partly due to the undervalued Chinese currency. The Big Mac Index, a simplified and informal way to measure the purchasing power parity between different currencies, indicates that the Chinese currency yuan was roughly undervalued by 31 percent in 2023. GDP development Although the impressive economic development in China has led millions of people out of poverty, China is still not in the league of industrialized countries on the per capita basis. To name one example, the U.S. per capita economic output was more than six times as large as in China in 2023. Meanwhile, the Chinese society faces increased income disparities. The Gini coefficient of China, a widely used indicator of economic inequality, has been larger than 0.45 over the last decade, whereas 0.40 is the warning level for social unrest.

The Gross Domestic Product (GDP) in China was worth 17794.78 billion US dollars in 2023, according to official data from the World Bank. The GDP value of China represents 16.88 percent of the world economy. This dataset provides - China GDP - actual values, historical data, forecast, chart, statistics, economic calendar and news.

China's digital economy has been growing rapidly in recent years. In 2023, the economy reached a size of nearly 54 trillion yuan, registering a nominal year-on-year growth of 10.3 percent, much higher than the country's nominal GDP growth at 7.4 percent. The digital economy accounted for around 43 percent of China's GDP.

The Gross Domestic Product (GDP) in China expanded 1.60 percent in the fourth quarter of 2024 over the previous quarter. This dataset provides - China GDP Growth Rate - actual values, historical data, forecast, chart, statistics, economic calendar and news.

According to preliminary figures, the growth of real gross domestic product (GDP) in China amounted to 5.0 percent in 2024. For 2025, the IMF expects a GDP growth rate of around 4.6 percent. Real GDP growth The current gross domestic product is an important indicator of the economic strength of a country. It refers to the total market value of all goods and services that are produced within a country per year. When analyzing year-on-year changes, the current GDP is adjusted for inflation, thus making it constant. Real GDP growth is regarded as a key indicator for economic growth as it incorporates constant GDP figures. As of 2023, China was among the leading countries with the largest gross domestic product worldwide, second only to the United States which had a GDP volume of almost 27.5 trillion U.S. dollars. The Chinese GDP has shown remarkable growth over the past years. Upon closer examination of the distribution of GDP across economic sectors, a gradual shift from an economy heavily based on industrial production towards an economy focused on services becomes visible, with the service industry outpacing the manufacturing sector in terms of GDP contribution. Key indicator balance of trade Another important indicator for economic assessment is the balance of trade, which measures the relationship between imports and exports of a nation. As an economy heavily reliant on manufacturing and industrial production, China has reached a trade surplus over the last decade, with a total trade balance of around 823 billion U.S. dollars in 2023.

The graph shows per capita gross domestic product (GDP) in China until 2023, with forecasts until 2029. In 2023, per capita GDP reached around 12,600 U.S. dollars in China. That year, the overall GDP of China had amounted to 17.8 trillion U.S. dollars. Per capita GDP in China Gross domestic product is a commonly-used economic indicator for measuring the state of a country's economy. GDP is the total market value of goods and services produced in a country within a given period of time, usually a year. Per capita GDP is defined as the GDP divided by the total number of people in the country. This indicator is generally used to compare the economic prosperity of countries with varying population sizes.In 2010, China overtook Japan and became the world’s second-largest economy. As of 2023, it was the largest exporter and the second largest importer in the world. However, one reason behind its economic strength lies within its population size. China has to distribute its wealth among 1.4 billion people. By 2023, China's per capita GDP was only about one fourth as large as that of main industrialized countries. When compared to other emerging markets, China ranked second among BRIC countries in terms of GDP per capita. Future development According to projections by the IMF, per capita GDP in China will escalate from around 12,600 U.S. dollars in 2022 to 17,700 U.S. dollars in 2029. Major reasons for this are comparatively high economic growth rates combined with negative population growth. China's economic structure is also undergoing changes. A major trend lies in the shift from an industry-based to a service-based economy.

The Gross Domestic Product per capita in China was last recorded at 12175.20 US dollars in 2023. The GDP per Capita in China is equivalent to 96 percent of the world's average. This dataset provides - China GDP per capita - actual values, historical data, forecast, chart, statistics, economic calendar and news.

Between 2005 and 2020, the GDP of China grew from 2.3 trillion to 14.9 trillion U.S. dollars. During the same time period the GDP of the United States grew from 13 trillion to 20.8 trillion dollars. It is estimated that, by 2030, China will overtake the U.S. as the world's largest economy, with a GDP of 33.7 trillion dollars, compared to 30.5 trillion dollars; this margin of more than three trillion is predicted to increase to almost 13 trillion over the subsequent five year period.

In 2024, the United States had the largest economy in the world, with a gross domestic product of just under 29 trillion U.S. dollars. China had the second largest economy, at around 18.5 trillion U.S. dollars. Recent adjustments in the list have seen Germany's economy overtake Japan's to become the third-largest in the world in 2023, while Brazil's economy moved ahead of Italy's in 2024. Global gross domestic product Global gross domestic product amounts to almost 110 trillion U.S. dollars, with the United States making up more than one-quarter of this figure alone. The 12 largest economies in the world include all Group of Seven (G7) economies, as well as the four largest BRICS economies. The U.S. has consistently had the world's largest economy since the interwar period, and while previous reports estimated it would be overtaken by China in the 2020s, more recent projections estimate the U.S. economy will remain the largest by a considerable margin going into the 2030s.The gross domestic product of a country is calculated by taking spending and trade into account, to show how much the country can produce in a certain amount of time, usually per year. It represents the value of all goods and services produced during that year. Those countries considered to have emerging or developing economies account for almost 60 percent of global gross domestic product, while advanced economies make up over 40 percent.

The graph shows China's share in global gross domestic product adjusted for purchasing-power-parity until 2023, with a forecast until 2029. In 2023, China's share was about 18.75 percent. China's global GDP share Due to the introduction of capitalist market principles in 1978, China's economic market began to show immense change and growth. China's real GDP growth ranged at 5.2 percent in 2023. China's per capita GDP is also expected to continue to grow, reaching 12,600 U.S. dollars in 2023. Comparatively, Luxembourg and Ireland have some of the world’s largest GDP per capita with 129,800 U.S. dollars and 104,300 U.S. dollars, respectively, as of 2023. China is the largest exporter and second largest importer of goods in the world and is also among the largest manufacturing economies. The country also ranges among the world's largest agricultural producers and consumers. It relies heavily on intensive agricultural practices and is the world's largest producer of pigs, chickens, and eggs. Livestock production has been heavily emphasized since the mid-1970s. China’s chemical industry has also seen growth with a heavy focus on fertilizers, plastics, and synthetic fibers. China's use of chemical fertilizers amounted to approximately 50.8 million metric tons in 2022. GDP composition in China Industry and construction account for slightly less than 40 percent of China's GDP. Some of the major industries include mining and ore processing, food processing, coal, machinery, textiles and apparel, and consumer products. Almost half of China's output is dedicated to investment purposes. However, as the country tends to support gross output, innovation, technological advancement, and even quality are often lacking.

According to preliminary data, the agricultural sector contributed around 6.8 percent to the gross domestic product (GDP) of China in 2024, whereas 36.5 percent of the economic value added originated from the industrial sector and 54.6 percent from the service sector, respectively. The total GDP of China at current prices amounted to approximately 134.91 trillion yuan in 2024. Economic development in China The gross domestic product (GDP) serves as a primary indicator to measure the economic performance of a country or a region. It is generally defined as the monetary value of all finished goods and services produced within a country in a specific period of time. It includes all of private and public spending, government spending, investments, and net exports which are calculated as total exports minus imports. In other words, GDP represents the size of the economy.With its national economy growing at an exceptional annual growth rate of above nine percent for three decades in succession, China had become the worlds’ second largest economy by 2010, surpassing all other economies but the United States. Even though China's GDP growth has cooled down in recent years, its economy still expanded at roughly two times the pace of the United States in 2024. Breakdown of GDP in China When compared to other developed countries, the proportions of agriculture and industry in China's GDP are significantly higher. Even though agriculture is a major industry in the United States, it only accounted for about one percent of the economy in 2023. While the service sector contributed to more than 70 percent of the economy in most developed countries, it's share was considerably lower in China. This was not only due to China's lower development level, but also to the country’s focus on manufacturing and export. However, as the future limitations of this growth model become more and more apparent, China is trying to shift it's economic focus to the high-tech and service sectors. Accordingly, growth rates of the service sector have been considerably higher than in industry and agriculture in the years before the spread of the coronavirus pandemic.

Key information about China Gross Savings Rate

• China Gross Savings Rate was measured at 44.3% in Dec 2023, compared with 44.3% in the previous year.
• China Gross Savings Rate is updated yearly, with data available from Dec 1952 to Dec 2023, and an average rate of 44.3%.
• The data reached an all-time high of 44.3% in Dec 2010 and a record low of 16.5% in Dec 1962.
• CEIC calculates Gross Domestic Savings Rate from annual Gross Domestic Savings and annual Nominal GDP. Gross Domestic Savings is calculated as Nominal GDP less Final Consumption Expenditure. The National Bureau of Statistics provides Final Consumption Expenditure in local currency and Nominal GDP in local currency.
• In the latest reports, China GDP expanded 4.5% YoY in Mar 2023.
• China Nominal GDP reached 4,166,759.1 USD mn in Mar 2023. Its GDP deflator (implicit price deflator) increased 0.4% in Mar 2023.
• China GDP Per Capita reached 12,621.7 USD in Dec 2023.

In 2024, the industrial sector generated around 30.1 percent of China's GDP. It was by far the largest contributor, followed by the wholesale and retail industry that was responsible for 10.2 percent and the financial sector that produced 7.3 percent of the country's economic output. Since China is the second-largest economy in the world, the industrial sector’s output alone exceeded the entire economy of Germany. China’s export and investment-driven economy China economic development of the early 2000s was mainly driven by investments and exports. A country's gross domestic product (GDP) consists of three parts: Consumption, investments, and net exports. Typically, emerging economies rely mainly on investments and exports for growing their economy and China was no exception. By the end of the 2010s, investments fueled more than 40 percent of China's GDP and exports were responsible for almost another 20 percent. In comparison to that, in most developed economies, investments make up only 20 percent of the economic output. Instead, the main economic driver is consumption. The economic structure in China created a huge industrial sector. For instance, China was the biggest steel exporter, the leading merchandise exporter, and exported more than a third of global household goods. Great push towards transformation In early 2018, the Chinese government proclaimed that the country's economy had reached a new development stage where consumption and services replaced investment and manufacturing as the main driver of economic growth. The fear of the middle-income trap and changing demographics were the main reasons for Beijing's emphasis on economic transformation. Although incomes in China had not stagnated, policymakers attempted to preempt “getting stuck” by steering the economy towards high-quality growth and consumption-focus. Furthermore, a society that was older and had a higher share of middle-class population had different requirements to the economy. In the case of a successful transformation, China's economy would become more similar to those of developed nations. For instance, the financial sector was the largest contributor to the United States economy. In the case of Germany, the service sector generates the largest share of gross domestic product.

China GDP: Value Added data was reported at 99,356,033.560 RMB mn in 2022. This records an increase from the previous number of 93,689,271.010 RMB mn for 2021. China GDP: Value Added data is updated yearly, averaging 10,140,386.875 RMB mn from Dec 1981 (Median) to 2022, with 42 observations. The data reached an all-time high of 99,356,033.560 RMB mn in 2022 and a record low of 460,111.001 RMB mn in 1981. China GDP: Value Added data remains active status in CEIC and is reported by Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development. The data is categorized under Global Database’s China – Table CN.OECD.MSTI: Gross Domestic Product, GDP PPP and GDP Deflator: Non OECD Member: Annual.

The statistic shows the distribution of the workforce across economic sectors in China from 2013 to 2023. In 2023, around 22.8 percent of the workforce were employed in the agricultural sector, 29.1 percent in the industrial sector and 48.1 percent in the service sector. This year, the share of agriculture increased for the first time in more than two decades, which highlights the difficult situation of the labor market due to the pandemic and economic downturn at the end of the year.

Distribution of the workforce in China

In 2012, China became the largest exporting country worldwide with an export value of about two trillion U.S. dollars. China’s economic system is largely based on growth and export, with the manufacturing sector being a crucial contributor to the country’s export competitiveness. Economic development was accompanied by a steady rise of labor costs, as well as a significant slowdown in labor force growth. These changes present a serious threat to the era of China as the world’s factory. The share of workforce in agriculture also steadily decreased in China until 2021, while the agricultural gross production value displayed continuous growth, amounting to approximately 7.8 trillion yuan in 2021.

Development of the service sector

Since 2011, the largest share of China’s labor force has been employed in the service sector. However, compared with developed countries, such as Japan or the United States, where 73 and 79 percent of the work force were active in services in 2021 respectively, the proportion of people working in the tertiary sector in China has been relatively low. The Chinese government aims to continue economic reform by moving from an emphasis on investment to consumption, among other measures. This might lead to a stronger service economy. Meanwhile, the size of the urban middle class in China is growing steadily. A growing number of affluent middle class consumers could promote consumption and help China move towards a balanced economy.

Consumer Spending in China increased to 493247.20 CNY Hundred Million in 2023 from 450468 CNY Hundred Million in 2022. This dataset provides - China Consumer Spending - actual values, historical data, forecast, chart, statistics, economic calendar and news.

China Wholesale & Retail Inventory: Total data was reported at 4,211.718 RMB bn in 2018. This records a decrease from the previous number of 4,339.700 RMB bn for 2017. China Wholesale & Retail Inventory: Total data is updated yearly, averaging 1,536.815 RMB bn from Dec 1998 (Median) to 2018, with 21 observations. The data reached an all-time high of 4,339.700 RMB bn in 2017 and a record low of 352.760 RMB bn in 2004. China Wholesale & Retail Inventory: Total data remains active status in CEIC and is reported by National Bureau of Statistics. The data is categorized under China Premium Database’s Wholesale, Retail and Catering Sector – Table CN.RJA: Wholesale and Retail Inventory: Above Designated Size Enterprise.

China Retail Sales of Consumer Goods: YoY: Above Designated Size Enterprise: Catering data was reported at 1.200 % in Dec 2024. This records a decrease from the previous number of 2.500 % for Nov 2024. China Retail Sales of Consumer Goods: YoY: Above Designated Size Enterprise: Catering data is updated monthly, averaging 6.100 % from Jan 2011 (Median) to Dec 2024, with 142 observations. The data reached an all-time high of 115.200 % in Mar 2021 and a record low of -46.700 % in Mar 2020. China Retail Sales of Consumer Goods: YoY: Above Designated Size Enterprise: Catering data remains active status in CEIC and is reported by National Bureau of Statistics. The data is categorized under China Premium Database’s Consumer Goods and Services – Table CN.HA: Retail Sales of Consumer Goods: Above Designated Size Enterprise: by Commodity .

China R & D: Full-time Equivalent: Industrial Enterprises Above Designated Size: Domestic Funded Enterprises data was reported at 397.828 Person-Years tt in 2023. This records an increase from the previous number of 343.050 Person-Years tt for 2022. China R & D: Full-time Equivalent: Industrial Enterprises Above Designated Size: Domestic Funded Enterprises data is updated yearly, averaging 211.965 Person-Years tt from Dec 2011 (Median) to 2023, with 13 observations. The data reached an all-time high of 397.828 Person-Years tt in 2023 and a record low of 144.288 Person-Years tt in 2011. China R & D: Full-time Equivalent: Industrial Enterprises Above Designated Size: Domestic Funded Enterprises data remains active status in CEIC and is reported by National Bureau of Statistics. The data is categorized under China Premium Database’s Business and Economic Survey – Table CN.OS: Research and Development: Full-time Equivalent: Designated Size by Enterprises Registration Status.

Since the beginning of the 21st century, the BRICS countries have been considered the five foremost developing economies in the world. Originally, the term BRIC was used by economists when talking about the emerging economies of Brazil, Russia, India, and China, however these countries have held annual summits since 2009, and the group has expanded to include South Africa since 2010. China has the largest GDP of the BRICS country, at 16.86 trillion U.S. dollars in 2021, while the others are all below three trillion. Combined, the BRICS bloc has a GDP over 25.85 trillion U.S. dollars in 2022, which is slightly more than the United States. BRICS economic development China has consistently been the largest economy of this bloc, and its rapid growth has seen it become the second largest economy in the world, behind the U.S.. China's growth has also been much faster than the other BRICS countries; for example, when compared with the second largest BRICS economy, its GDP was less than double the size of Brazil's in 2000, but is almost six times larger than India's in 2021. Since 2000, the country with the second largest GDP has fluctuated between Brazil, Russia, and India, due to a variety of factors, although India has held this position since 2015 (when the other two experienced recession), and it's growth rate is on track to surpass China's in the coming decade. South Africa has consistently had the smallest economy of the BRICS bloc, and it has just the third largest economy in Africa; its inclusion in this group is due to the fact that it is the most advanced and stable major economy in Africa, and it holds strategic importance due to the financial potential of the continent in the coming decades. Future developments It is predicted that China's GDP will overtake that of the U.S. by the end of the 2020s, to become the largest economy in the world, while some also estimate that India will also overtake the U.S. around the middle of the century. Additionally, the BRICS group is more than just an economic or trading bloc, and its New Development Bank was established in 2014 to invest in sustainable infrastructure and renewable energy across the globe. While relations between its members were often strained or of less significance in the 20th century, their current initiatives have given them a much greater international influence. The traditional great powers represented in the Group of Seven (G7) have seen their international power wane in recent decades, while BRICS countries have seen theirs grow, especially on a regional level. Today, the original BRIC countries combine with the Group of Seven (G7), to make up 11 of the world's 12 largest economies, but it is predicted that they will move further up on this list in the coming decades.