By He Yin, People’s Daily

According to data recently released by China’s National Bureau of Statistics, China’s GDP exceeded 107 trillion yuan (about $15.9 trillion) in the first three quarters of this year, up 4.6 percent year on year. This pace places China among the fastest-growing major economies globally.

International observers spoke highly of this performance, saying it exceeded expectations and demonstrated the strong resilience of the Chinese economy. Despite mounting pressures, the Chinese economy has maintained overall stability and continued making progress while ensuring stability. These hard-won results demonstrate the economy’s strong resilience and inject valuable stability into a world economy clouded by uncertainty.

Today, the global economic recovery remains sluggish, geopolitical conflicts are intertwined, and unilateralism and protectionism are on the rise. Against this backdrop, China’s economic growth has remained within a reasonable range, with stable overall performance, new growth drivers gaining momentum, an improving economic structure, and rising quality and efficiency. 

In the first three quarters, China’s economy expanded by 5.7 trillion yuan, the largest increase for the same period in nearly five years. Manufacturing continued to move up the value chain toward the medium-high and high end, while the service sector contributed 66.3 percent to economic growth. Prices, employment, and the balance of international payments all remained stable. 

The sound performance of the Chinese economy provides a solid foundation for high-quality development at home and serves as an important anchor of stability for the world economy amid turbulence and transformation.

The rapid emergence of new drivers is injecting strong momentum into China’s high-quality development while creating broad opportunities for global industrial transformation and the green transition. 

In the first three quarters, emerging industries and new business models, including advanced manufacturing, the digital and intelligent economy, and modern services, contributed more than 40 percent to economic growth. Value added in the manufacturing of digital products and high-tech products grew by 13.6 percent and 14.3 percent year-on-year, respectively, further highlighting the increasingly prominent role of innovation in China’s development. 

New industries in fields such as artificial intelligence and new materials are flourishing, while imports and exports of products such as industrial robots and electronic components continue  expanding, creating a wider range of applications for industries worldwide. 

In the face of multiple external shocks, China’s comprehensive industrial system and resilient supply chains have demonstrated their strengths, helping keep global industrial and supply chains running smoothly. 

Gerd Müller, director general of the United Nations Industrial Development Organization, noted that China’s major breakthroughs in industrialization, renewable energy, and artificial intelligence offer valuable lessons for other developing countries seeking pathways to sustainable industrialization.

China is advancing high-standard opening up, continually sharing its development opportunities with countries around the world. Its vast domestic market continues to unleash its potential, making China both an anchor of stability for global industrial and supply chains and a major engine of world trade growth. 

In the first three quarters, China’s total trade in goods reached nearly 40 trillion yuan, up 18.8 percent year on year, with commercial ties extending to more than 180 countries and regions. During the same period, import growth outpaced export growth by 5.9 percentage points, reflecting the continued release of the potential of a market serving a population of more than 1.4 billion. 

Trade with free trade agreement partners grew by 30 percent, accounting for more than 70 percent of the increase in foreign trade. Trade with Belt and Road partner countries rose by 17.1 percent, while trade with emerging markets such as ASEAN and Africa grew rapidly, injecting fresh momentum into a more balanced global trade landscape. 

Meanwhile, exports by foreign-invested enterprises increased by 17.2 percent in the first three quarters, and more than 150 foreign-invested enterprises each recorded over 10 billion yuan in import and export value, reflecting their continued commitment to the Chinese market.

An increasing number of countries are viewing the Chinese market as an important opportunity for their own economic recovery. Economic and trade ties between China and the rest of the world are growing ever closer, and a pattern of mutually beneficial and win-win development is becoming increasingly clear. 

A report by Capital FM Kenya noted that the scale of China’s manufacturing industry has lowered the cost for developing countries to access technology and products, bringing tangible development opportunities to emerging economies around the world.

High-quality development is a long-term endeavor that requires sustained effort, and the road ahead will inevitably bring challenges. No matter how the international landscape evolves, China will remain committed to innovation-driven development and will not stop expanding high-standard opening up. 

As China continues to develop in a more innovative, higher-quality and more efficient direction, it will keep injecting lasting momentum into the global economic recovery while working with other countries to create a brighter future of mutual benefit and win-win results.

By Wan Xiubin, Zheng Hai’ou, Shao Yuzi, People’s Daily

Above ground, expansive green spaces blend seamlessly with modern architecture. Beneath the surface, a network spanning more than 100 kilometers links underground utility corridors that deliver water, electricity, gas, heating, and communications. 

In the cloud, a digital city is taking shape alongside the physical one, while the Xiong’an Urban Computing Center keeps watch over the entire city. A “city of the future” is steadily taking shape in the Xiong’an New Area, north China’s Hebei province.

Rejecting sprawling, haphazard urban expansion, Xiong’an has adopted a different approach, with planning preceding construction, underground infrastructure built before above-ground development, and trees planted before the city takes shape. Modern governance has been integrated into every stage of urban development.

In the Rongdong area, the first developed urban area in Xiong’an, trees flourish and buildings stand in neat rows. There are no tangled overhead power lines, and the roads show no signs of repeated digging and patching.

This stability stems from an extensive underground utility tunnel system connecting parking facilities beneath 95 housing complexes. Using a hybrid of China’s BeiDou satellite navigation and 5G indoor positioning, the system maintains reliable signals underground. Smart sensors distributed throughout the tunnels monitor environmental conditions in real time, enabling proactive maintenance. “Traffic flows smoothly both above and below ground. Living here feels safe and convenient,” said Zhou Qiang, a local resident.

By prioritizing subsurface infrastructure, Xiong’an has built resilience into its foundation while deploying digital twin technology to create a synchronized virtual environment. Ma Yongjun, head of operations of the infrastructure construction company of China Xiong’an Group, starts each workday by logging into the digital twin system. The system provides a detailed view of the utility tunnels, with real-time updates on temperature, humidity, water pressure, and gas concentrations.

“When a problem arises, the system automatically issues an alert. It can be detected in the cloud and addressed directly inside the utility tunnel,” Ma said.

Under clear autumn skies, birds flock to the Yannan dike of Baiyangdian Lake, while the Nanhe water conservancy hub is reflected in the water. The hub links the vast wetlands of Baiyangdian on one side with Xiong’an’s modern buildings on the other.

Before the Xiong’an New Area was established, water quality across Baiyangdian was generally below Grade V, the lowest classification in the country’s five-tier water quality system. Water flows had declined, and the waterways had become severely fragmented. At the Fuhe River estuary wetland, the gateway to Baiyangdian, polluted upstream water once flowed directly into the lake.

Zhu Baofeng, head of the water conservancy and water environment construction and operations division at China Xiong’an Group Ecological Construction Investment Co., Ltd., led his team in restoring the wetland through nature-based purification techniques, breathing new life into the wetland.

In recent years, Xiong’an has taken an integrated approach to replenishing water supplies, tackling pollution and preventing floods. It has advanced five major initiatives in parallel, including dredging waterways, linking lakes and ponds, restoring wetlands, replenishing water supplies in a science-based manner, and strengthening flood control.

“Baiyangdian has returned to its former vitality!” said Zhang Xuenong, chairman of the Baiyangdian Photographers Association in Anxin county, who has documented the lake’s transformation in more than 100,000 photos. In recent years, rare birds such as the Baer’s Pochard have frequently appeared in his photographs.

“The city and the lake now complement each other, and every shot captures a beautiful scene,” Zhang said.

Water quality in Baiyangdian has remained stable at Grade III for five consecutive years. As of 2026, the number of wild bird species recorded there has risen to 296, up 90 from before the Xiong’an New Area was established. The number of fish species has recovered to 50.

“It feels like living in a garden,” said Yuan Yuxin, a resettled resident who moved with his family into Lixian Garden residential community in Rongdong area in 2023.

“There’s a supermarket just a few minutes’ walk away, and my grandchildren live close to their schools. I play ball at the community senior care center every day. Life is fulfilling and comfortable,” Yuan said.

In Nanwenying Community, where Yuan lives, household files document residents’ needs and everyday concerns.

“We maintain individual files for each of our more than 3,700 households, covering matters such as health care and elderly care. We update them every two months,” said Wang Weixiao, head of the Nanwenying Community.

The records have been organized into more than 80,000 entries and distilled into three lists covering available resources, residents’ needs and concerns, and responsibilities. This helps streamline the many tasks involved in community governance, said Wang.

A settled home is the foundation for a fulfilling life. With equitable, high-quality public services, meticulous community-level governance and a thriving industrial base, Xiong’an is helping residents build settled homes and fulfilling lives.

“Governance is not something to be addressed after construction is complete. Xiong’an has integrated planning, construction and governance from the outset, ensuring that urban management is guided by clear rules from the very beginning,” said Liu Zhenming, deputy director of the Natural Resources and Planning Bureau of the Xiong’an New Area.

By Shang Kaiyuan, People’s Daily

Chinese auto brands commanded the spotlight at the 2026 Paris Motor Show, which ran from Oct.12 to 18. Of the 59 exhibitors, over 20 were Chinese companies, accounting for nearly 40 percent of the total, a record high.

Brands showcased over 100 vehicles, including more than a dozen global debuts. Their footprint at the event kept expanding.

Chinese automakers are expanding into Europe through a long-term approach rooted in local markets and aimed at mutual benefit and win-win outcomes.

Across the industrial chain, Chinese companies are steadily advancing their localization efforts. 

XPENG, a Chinese new energy vehicle manufacturer, has begun production at a Magna plant in Austria. Chinese auto giant BYD announced during the show that it would build two additional plants in Europe, following the establishment of its factory in Hungary. 

Chery, another Chinese automaker, said it would reopen an idle vehicle assembly plant in Barcelona, a project expected to create more than 1,000 jobs. Chinese automaker GAC made localization a priority from the outset, establishing a design center in Milan and preparing to set up a European R&D center. 

“In Europe, for Europe” has become a shared commitment among Chinese automakers seeking to build a lasting presence in the market.

Chinese brands are also working to win over consumers. BYD, MG — a marque owned by Chinese automaker SAIC Motor — and XPENG have introduced extended warranties to reassure buyers about after-sales service. 

An international survey of 2,500 European respondents found that 55 percent were willing to consider a Chinese brand for their next car purchase, up from just 43 percent two years ago. In Hungary, around three-quarters of respondents had already included Chinese brands such as BYD on their shopping lists. Even in Germany, a major automotive manufacturing country, 52 percent of respondents were open to Chinese models, compared with just 37 percent in early 2024.

At its core, China-Europe cooperation in the auto industry is about helping both sides advance their transition to electrification, rather than engaging in a zero-sum contest. 

As Zhu Jiangming, chairman of Chinese new energy vehicle maker Leapmotor, noted, only by taking both sides’ needs into account can cooperation deliver results greater than the sum of its parts. 

Europe’s auto industry is at a critical turning point, facing practical challenges including lengthy R&D cycles and high conversion costs. The participation of Chinese companies is giving consumers more choices, expanding business opportunities for dealers, and injecting technological expertise and investment into the upgrading of local industries.

The strong complementarity between the two sides has been demonstrated repeatedly in practice. Renault completed the development of a new model in just 16 months by drawing on its team in China. An electric version of Citroen’s classic 2CV could also move toward production more quickly with the help of Leapmotor’s technology platform. 

A representative of the European Automobile Manufacturers’ Association has acknowledged that Europe’s auto industry cannot complete its transition to electrification without the technological capabilities and industrial supply-chain strengths of Asian companies.

Yet the growing momentum for industrial cooperation has not been matched by a similar shift in the policy environment. While cooperation between Chinese and European automotive businesses continues to deepen, some European politicians are becoming increasingly wary of China. The contrast between these two trends is striking. 

This tension was particularly evident recently: even as Chinese brands made a collective appearance at the Paris Motor Show, Chinese companies were not invited to a banquet held at the Elysse Palace. The episode serves as a reminder that the reality of China-Europe cooperation extends beyond the lively scenes at the auto show. Political wariness continues to create uncertainty for businesses seeking to work together.

If Europe wants to attract Chinese investment to create jobs and support its industrial transition, it needs to respect the realities of cross-border investment and provide a stable, predictable policy environment for legitimate business cooperation. Clinging to a zero-sum mindset and repeatedly erecting trade and investment barriers in the name of security will ultimately undermine businesses’ willingness to cooperate and cause Europe to miss opportunities for its own transformation.

The automotive industry is a prime example of deep global integration, with openness and cooperation remaining the prevailing trend. As two of the world’s major economies, China and Europe have far more in common economically than they have competing interests. Faced with a new wave of industrial transformation, Europe should do better to seize the opportunity to work with China for mutual benefit than to focus on building walls and barriers. In doing so, both sides can share the benefits of development.