According to a report in China Daily on January 27, 2026
China’s Powerhouses Drive Growth: Guangdong & Shanghai Lead the Way
Guangdong sets 2026 GDP target at 4.5%–5%, while Shanghai plans $15.8 billion in industrial projects, highlighting China’s continued push in manufacturing, robotics, and high-tech industries.
China’s economic engines are gearing up for a strong 2026. Guangdong province, the nation’s manufacturing and innovation hub, aims for 4.5%–5% GDP growth this year. With a $2.1 trillion economy, the province continues to lead China, leveraging robotics, AI, and high-tech sectors under the 15th Five-Year Plan.
Meanwhile, Shanghai plans to launch 133 industrial projects worth 110 billion yuan ($15.8 billion), including 33 mega-projects exceeding 1 billion yuan each. Industrial investment surged 20% in 2025, with manufacturing, electronics, and equipment sectors leading the growth. State-owned, private, and foreign-funded projects all saw strong increases, supporting Shanghai’s transformation into a high-tech and innovation-driven city.
These developments underscore China’s dual strategy: sustaining industrial strength while embracing technological innovation, positioning Guangdong and Shanghai as key drivers of future economic growth.
Shandong GDP Surpasses 10 Trillion Yuan Amid Industrial Upgrade and Green Innovation
JINAN — Shandong, one of China’s major manufacturing hubs, has become the third province to surpass a gross domestic product of 10 trillion yuan ($1.5 trillion), following Guangdong and Jiangsu, according to official sources.
The milestone reflects Shandong’s efforts to cultivate high-quality productive forces, upgrade traditional industries, and foster emerging sectors, with technological innovation playing a central role. The province’s complete industrial system, covering all 41 categories in the United Nations’ industrial classification, positions it as a leader in high-end manufacturing and industrial transformation.
In 2025, the added value of Shandong’s industrial enterprises rose 7.6% year-on-year, while investment in advanced industrial technology increased 5.3%. Emerging sectors such as industrial robots, electronic components, and semiconductor discrete devices maintained rapid growth.
“Shandong’s industrial structure is shifting from traditional heavy chemical industries to high-end manufacturing,” said Gao Fuyi, deputy director of the Shandong Academy of Macroeconomic Research. “This transformation makes the province’s 10 trillion yuan GDP more resilient and valuable.”
Innovative projects highlight this industrial transformation. In Qingdao, the world’s first metro train made with carbon fiber debuted, developed by CRRC Qingdao Sifang and Qingdao Metro. Compared with traditional metal trains, the carbon fiber train is 11% lighter and 7% more energy efficient.
Shandong is also advancing green technologies. A recent technology matchmaking conference on supercritical carbon dioxide power generation, hosted by Jigang Group in Jinan, aims to apply this cutting-edge method across steel, coking, cement, and other industries. The technology efficiently converts waste heat into electricity, supporting the province’s green industrial transformation.
These initiatives underline Shandong’s strategy to combine industrial strength with innovation and sustainability, positioning the province as a key driver of China’s economic growth and a model for high-quality, environmentally conscious development.