ECONOMY

Guangdong Sets Ambitious Five-Year Goals After Growth Stalls

Published: Jan. 27, 2026 4:59 a.m. GMT+8

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A view of Yuehai Subdistrict in Shenzhen’s Nanshan district. Photo: VCG

Guangdong province, China’s largest regional economy, expanded by 3.9% in 2025, falling short of its official goal and trailing the national average as the country’s top manufacturing hub continues to grapple with a prolonged property slump.

The province’s gross domestic product rose to 14.58 trillion yuan ($2.1 trillion) last year, governor Meng Fanli told lawmakers on Monday. That performance lagged the national GDP growth of 5%, placing Guangdong near the bottom among the country’s key economic regions. At the start of 2025, officials had targeted a 5% increase.

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Guangdong’s GDP grew 3.9% in 2025 to 14.58 trillion yuan, missing its 5% target and the national average (5%).
Retail sales and industrial output rose 2.8% and 3%, both below target; real estate output was flat, now only 7% of GDP.
Foreign trade rose 4.4% to 9.5 trillion yuan; a new five-year plan targets ~5% annual growth for 2026–2030.

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