Shantou's economy demonstrated resilience and structural optimization in the first half of 2025, with its GDP reaching 150.08 billion yuan ($20.9 billion) amid global economic uncertainties. The city's economic growth, up 0.5 percent year-on-year, reflected balanced progress across the primary, secondary, and tertiary sectors.
Agricultural output remained stable, with total production value rising 1.7 percent. Notable highlights included a 71.3 percent surge in lychee yields and a 1.0 percent increase in aquatic products. However, the livestock sector faced declines, with pork and poultry production dropping 3.6 percent and 0.6 percent respectively.
Industrial restructuring accelerated, with advanced manufacturing contributing 39.4 percent of value-added in above-scale industries, a 0.7-point increase from 2024. High-tech sectors also expanded, accounting for 12.9 percent of industrial output. Sub-sectors such as computer equipment, machinery, and automotive manufacturing grew robustly, with increases of 17.8 percent, 11.7 percent, and 3.6 percent. Export-oriented industries performed well, with export delivery values rising 3.0 percent.
The service sector emerged as a growth driver, expanding 3.2 percent, led by leasing, finance, and IT services. Tourism and logistics thrived, with overnight hotel stays surging 25.2 percent and passenger turnover growing 11.9 percent. Port activity remained steady, with container throughput rising 1.6 percent, while express delivery volume reached 2.13 billion parcels, up 16.7 percent.
Investment in high-tech and "three new" industries (new energy, new materials, new IT) drove industrial upgrading, accounting for 43.7 percent of total industrial investment. The energy and retail sectors saw significant growth, with power supply and wholesale/retail investments jumping 37.3 percent and 47.9 percent respectively.
Consumer demand was bolstered by trade-in policies, with retail sales of communication devices and home appliances skyrocketing 236.3 percent and 310.6 percent. Online retail sales grew 11.8 percent, and new energy vehicle sales rose 4.0 percent. The property market stabilized, with new home sales rising 4.8 percent.
Financial health remained strong, with total deposits and loans climbing 6.0 percent and 6.6 percent. Manufacturing received robust credit support, with medium- to long-term loans growing in double digits.
Residents' incomes grew steadily in the first half of 2025, with per capita disposable income reaching 18,922 yuan ($2,636.5), up 3.9 percent year-on-year—rural residents saw faster growth (5.5 percent) than their urban counterparts, narrowing the urban-rural income ratio to 1.55:1. Public welfare spending accounted for 81 percent of the city's budget, with education, social security, and healthcare expenditures rising 9.15 percent, 14.60 percent, and 32.83 percent respectively. Consumer prices remained stable overall, as the June CPI rose 0.2 percent year-on-year while remaining flat for the first half.
Author | Jiang Chang
Photo | Nanfang Plus
Editor | Wei Shen, James, Shen He
