The People's Government of Guangdong Province unveiled its 2026 work report, highlighting a resilient economy and ambitious plans for upgrading its industrial and innovation prowess.
The province's GDP grew 3.9 percent in 2025, maintaining its position as China's top-ranked economy for the 37th consecutive year.
Key achievements include a 4.4 percent rise in total goods imports and exports, contributing 24.1 percent of the national increase, and an 11.3 percent rise in actual utilization of foreign capital.
Guangdong's innovation capacity remained robust, with R&D expenditure reaching 535 billion yuan ($77.22 billion) and its Shenzhen-Hong Kong-Guangzhou cluster leading the Global Innovation Index.
The province is also a hub for advanced manufacturing, accounting for 90 percent of the country's drone output.
In 2025, Guangdong also saw significant improvements in livelihoods, with per capita disposable income rising 4.3 percent and over 7,000 new hospital beds added.
During the 14th Five-Year Plan period (2021-25), Guangdong's regional GDP grew from 11.37 to 14.58 trillion yuan, with per capita GDP rising to 110,000 yuan. Local general public budget revenue reached 1.39 trillion yuan, while total imports and exports exceeded 9 trillion yuan. The province led the nation in innovation capacity for nine consecutive years, with invention patents per 10,000 people surging from 28 to 70.
Looking ahead, Guangdong is targeting a regional GDP growth of 4.5-5 percent for 2026. It will focus on strengthening the Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macao Greater Bay Area through enhanced rule alignment and infrastructure connectivity, including starting construction on the Guangzhou-Zhuhai (Macao) high-speed railway.
The province aims to build a modern industrial system by developing future sectors like 6G and embodied AI, cultivating new economic forms, and creating a world-class business environment.
Click to read the full text of the Report on the Work of the Guangdong Government (Source: Foreign Affairs Office of the People's Government of Guangdong Province)
