China's National Bureau of Statistics Press Release

China's Economy in the First Half of 2013: Stable and Moderate Growth

Excerpts

"In the first half of 2013, faced with the complicated and volatile economic environment at home and abroad, the Central Party Committee and the State Council have committed to the general tone of making progress while ensuring the stability, centered on improving the quality and efficiency of economic growth, continued to carry out the proactive fiscal policy and prudent monetary policy, created conditions for economic restructuring through reforms and restructuring in turn unleashed potential for economic growth. As a result, the overall national economy realized steady development and grew at a moderate pace.

According to the preliminary estimation, the gross domestic product (GDP) of China in the first half of this year was 24,800.9 billion yuan, a year-on-year increase of 7.6 percent calculated at comparable prices. Specifically, the growth of the first quarter was 7.7 percent, and 7.5 percent for the second quarter. The value added of the primary industry was 1,862.2 billion yuan, up by 3.0 percent; that of the secondary industry was 11,703.7 billion yuan, up by 7.6 percent; and that of the tertiary industry was 11,235.0 billion yuan, up by 8.3 percent. The gross domestic product of the second quarter of 2013 went up by 1.7 percent on a quarterly basis".

2. Industrial Production Grew Steadily with Enterprises Profits Continued to Increase.

"In the first half, the total value added (calculated at comparable price) of the industrial enterprises above designated size was up by 9.3 percent year-on-year, a decrease of 0.2 percentage point than that in the first quarter. An analysis on different types of enterprises showed that the value added growth of the state-owned and state holding enterprises went up by 5.2 percent; collective enterprises 5.0 percent; share-holding enterprises 10.9 percent; and 7.4 percent growth for enterprises funded by foreign investors or investors from Hong Kong, Macao and Taiwan provinces. The year-on-year growth of heavy industry was 9.6 percent, and 8.4 percent for the light industry".

3. Investment in Fixed Assets Enjoyed Relatively Fast Growth while That in the Tertiary Industry Grew Faster Compared with the Whole.

"In the first half, the investment in fixed assets (excluding rural households) was 18,131.8 billion yuan, a year-on-year growth of 20.1 percent (a real growth of 20.1 percent after deducting price factors), which was 0.8 percentage point lower than that in the first quarter, or 0.3 percentage point lower than that in the same period of 2012. Of this total, that in the state-owned and state holding enterprises reached 5,734.2 billion yuan, an increase of 17.5 percent; private investment reached 11,558.4 billion yuan, up by 23.4 percent.

The investment in the primary industry reached 388.4 billion yuan, up by 33.5 percent year-on-year; that in the secondary industry was 7,805.2 billion yuan, up by 15.6 percent; and that in the tertiary industry was 9,938.2 billion yuan, up by 23.5 percent. Of the investment in the secondary industry, that in industry reached 7,657.2 billion yuan, up by 16.2 percent.

4. Retail Sales Kept Steady Growth 

"In the first half, the total retail sales of consumer goods reached 11,076.4 billion yuan, an increase of 12.7 percent (a real growth of 11.4 percent after deducting price factors), or 0.3 percentage point higher than that in the first quarter and 1.7 percentage points lower than that same period of last year. Specifically, the retail sales of the enterprises (units) above designated size stood at 5,525.1 billion yuan, up by 10.5 percent. Analyzed by different areas, the retail sales in urban areas reached 9,578.9 billion yuan, up by 12.5 percent, and that in rural areas stood at 1,497.5 billion yuan, up by 14.3 percent".