Page 76 - AmCham South China 2026 Special Report on the State of Business in South China

Guangdong

The economy top spot for five consecutive years. Additionally,

Guangdong¡¯s digital economy reached RMB6.9
the southern gate to China and the trillion in 2024, maintaining its first-place ranking
As starting point of the Maritime Silk Road, for eight consecutive years. Its low-altitude
Guangdong has long been one of the country¡¯s economy, which garnered significant attention
most open, dynamic and innovative regions. The in 2024, now boasts more than 15,000 related
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province covers a total area of 179,606 km and enterprises and a market size exceeding RMB100
had a population of 127.8 million at the end of billion, both ranking first in China .
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2024. It comprises three special economic zones
(SEZs), Shenzhen, Zhuhai and Shantou. During the Looking ahead, Guangdong¡¯s modern industrial
14th FYP period, Guangdong achieved remarkable system is projected to see the added value of
progress, with GDP surpassing RMB14.1 traditional, emerging and future industries
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trillion (US$1.9 trillion) in 2024, becoming the surpass RMB13 trillion by 2035, driven by unique
first province to exceed RMB14 trillion and advantages in robotics and strong synergy
retaining its position as China¡¯s top economic between mechatronics and AI within the GBA.
powerhouse for 36 consecutive years. Advanced
and high-tech manufacturing sectors played a
significant role in driving this growth. In H1 2025, Market highlights
Guangdong maintained solid momentum, with
GDP reaching RMB6.87 trillion (US$958 billion), In 2024, Guangdong¡¯s foreign trade reached
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a 4.2% YoY increase. Key industries delivered RMB9 trillion, up 9.8%, topping China for the 39
robust performance, particularly electronics consecutive years and contributing 38.7% of the
manufacturing with 7.3% growth, electrical country¡¯s trade growth. High-tech product exports
machinery at 7.8% and automotive production saw rapid expansion, with exports of 3D printers,
increasing 7.2%. electric vehicles and drones increasing by 45.2%,
41.4% and 20.1% , respectively. In H1 2025, the
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In its pursuit of cultivating new quality province¡¯s total imports and exports reached
productive forces, Guangdong has focused RMB4.55 trillion, marking a YoY increase of 4%.
on boosting synergy between industrial and Thanks to accelerated industrial transformation
technological development. R&D expenditures and upgrading, exports of mechanical and electrical
reached RMB510 billion in 2024, and the province products rose 7.2% to RMB1.96 trillion, accounting
is home to approximately 77,000 high-tech for 67.8% of Guangdong¡¯s total exports .
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enterprises . Guangdong produced 5.7 million
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vehicles in 2024, marking its eighth consecutive To attract foreign investment, Shenzhen
year as the national leader in this category. It also implemented incentives for qualified foreign
ranked first in the scale of its medical equipment enterprises to set up headquarters in the city.
industry and industrial robot production,
manufacturing over 240,000 units and holding the 12 Department of Science and Technology of Guang-
dong, https://gdstc.gd.gov.cn/kjzx_n/gdkj_n/content/
9 Government site of Guangdong, https://www.gd.gov. post_4658049.html
cn/zwgk/sjfb/sjkx/content/post_4661401.html 13 Government site of Guangdong, https://www.
10 Government site of Guangdong, https://www. gd.gov.cn/gdywdt/ydylygd/content/post_4655661.html
gd.gov.cn/zwgk/sjfb/sjkx/content/post_4747084.html 14 The state Council Information Office, http://www.
11 Department of Finance of Guangdong, https://czt. scio.gov.cn/xwfb/dfxwfb/gssfbh/gd_13844/202507/
gd.gov.cn/ztjj/2025gdslh/ywbd/content/post_4657198.html t20250721_922774.html

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