Data highlights of China's economy in 2024

China's economy has remained stable overall with a positive trend in 2024. Here are some data highlights of the Chinese economy this year.

706.5 million tonnes of grains

China's 2024 grain output hit a record high of 706.5 million tonnes, an increase of 1.6 percent from the output last year, according to data released by the country's National Bureau of Statistics on Dec. 13, 2024.

Agricultural machines work in rice paddies in Fuyuan City, northeast China's Heilongjiang Province, Oct. 11, 2024. (Xinhua/Wang Jianwei)

It is not just a result of hard work but also a testament to technological innovation in agriculture. For instance, companies including Sinochem Holdings and Syngenta Group China have turned many plots of saline-alkali land into fertile soil in places like Dawukou district, Shizuishan city, northwest China's Ningxia Hui Autonomous Region and Da'an city in northeast China's Jilin Province by leveraging technology.

150 billion parcels

China saw its express delivery volume in 2024 surpass the 150-billion-parcel mark on Nov. 17, marking a milestone in the country's express delivery market.

At present, China has entered a new stage where the annual volume and revenue of express delivery services exceed 100 billion parcels and 1 trillion yuan (about $137.35 billion), said Li Yongsong, an official with the State Post Bureau, adding that the country has built the most accessible and inclusive express delivery network with the largest size and the largest number of beneficiaries in the world.

China has maintained its position as the world's largest online retail market for several consecutive years. From January to October 2024, the country's total online retail sales reached 12.4 trillion yuan, representing an 8.8 percent year-on-year growth.

10 million new energy vehicles

China's annual production of new energy vehicles (NEVs) surpassed the 10 million milestone for the first time on Nov. 14, 2024.

This photo shows a Yangwang U7 of BYD at the 22nd Guangzhou International Automobile Exhibition at the China Import and Export Fair Complex in Guangzhou, south China's Guangdong Province, Nov. 15, 2024. (Xinhua/Deng Hua)

When it comes to NEV production and sales, China has led the world for nine consecutive years since 2015, with its production and sales volume representing over 60 percent of the global total in 2023.

This success represents the country's strategic approach to the upgrading of the automobile industry and green development.

China's leading NEV manufacturer BYD now files an average of 32 patent applications every workday. The rapid rise of NEVs serves as a vivid example of the upgrading of the Chinese manufacturing sector.

China makes and owns more than half the world's electric cars, and Chinese brands are in the lead in developing software to enhance their vehicles' performance, the Financial Times said in an article.

Installed capacity of wind and solar power surpasses 1.2 billion kilowatts

By the end of July 2024, China's total installed capacity of wind and solar power reached 1.21 billion kilowatts, achieving the 2030 target it made at the Climate Ambition Summit more than six years ahead of schedule, according to the country's National Energy Administration (NEA). By the end of September this year, the country's capacity of newly installed wind and solar power accounted for over 80 percent of its total newly installed capacity.

In the first three quarters of 2024, China's renewable energy power generation rose 20.9 percent year on year to 2.51 trillion kilowatt-hours, accounting for about 35.5 percent of its total power generation, said Zhang Xing, a spokesperson for the NEA.

4.1 million 5G stations

The number of 5G base stations in China exceeds 4.1 million, and every town is covered by 5G networks, data from the Ministry of Industry and Information Technology showed on Dec. 5, 2024.

With 995 million 5G mobile users, China has integrated 5G technologies into 80 major sectors of the national economy.

China-Europe freight train service hits 100,000 trips

The 100,000th China-Europe freight train, which departed from southwest China's Chongqing Municipality, arrived in Duisburg, Germany on Dec. 3, 2024, local time.

This photo taken on Dec. 3, 2024 shows the 100,000th China-Europe freight train at Duisburg Intermodal Terminal (DIT) in Duisburg, Germany. (Xinhua/Du Zheyu)

Since its inception in 2011, the China-Europe freight train service has transported over 11 million twenty-foot equivalent units (TEUs) of goods, valued at more than $420 billion. Meanwhile, its operational efficiency has significantly improved, with the time needed to complete 10,000 trips reduced from 90 months to just six months.

The thriving China-Europe freight train service reflects ever-closer economic and trade ties between China and other countries. In the first 11 months of 2024, China's total imports and exports of goods reached 39.79 trillion yuan, up 4.9 percent year on year. During the same period, China's trade with countries and regions participating in the Belt and Road Initiative totaled 18.74 trillion yuan, an increase of 6 percent year on year.