The National Bureau of Statistics announced on the morning of April 16 that China's first-quarter GDP grew by 5% year-on-year. This growth rate precisely hits the upper limit of the 4.5% to 5% target range set in this year's Government Work Report, marking an excellent performance at the beginning of the "16th Five-Year Plan" period and laying a solid foundation for achieving the annual goals.

The 5% growth is robust. In terms of import and export data, the total value of goods trade in the first quarter reached 11.84 trillion yuan, a 15% increase year-on-year, representing the highest growth rate in nearly five years. Exports amounted to 6.85 trillion yuan, growing by 11.9%, while imports reached 4.99 trillion yuan, surging by 19.6%. The fact that imports grew faster than exports indicates that the effects of China's proactive opening of its ultra-large market are becoming evident. Looking back at 2025, China's import scale had already reached 18.5 trillion yuan, maintaining its position as the world's second-largest import market for 17 consecutive years. Today, China is a primary export destination for nearly 80 countries, and its vast market of over 1.4 billion people represents an enormous opportunity that no nation can overlook.

Industrial data also shows positive trends. The value-added of industrial enterprises above the designated size increased by 6.1% year-on-year in the first quarter, accelerating by 1.1 percentage points compared to the fourth quarter of the previous year. The total profits of these industrial enterprises reached 1,024.6 billion yuan in the first two months, growing by 15.2% and surpassing the 15% threshold. Profitable enterprises are motivated to produce, and market expectations are improving. The Manufacturing Purchasing Managers' Index (PMI) stood at 50.4%, remaining in expansion territory, with the sub-index for production and business activity expectations at 53.4%. These collectively positive indicators suggest that corporate confidence is recovering, and both supply and demand are improving.

Efforts to expand domestic demand are gaining momentum. Following negative growth in investment in the third quarter of last year, the Central Economic Work Conference at the end of the year called for stabilizing investment decline and effectively stimulating private investment. First-quarter data shows that fixed-asset investment grew by 1.7% year-on-year, shifting from decline to growth. Consumption is also recovering. Total retail sales of consumer goods in the first quarter amounted to 12,769.5 billion yuan, a 2.4% increase year-on-year, which is 0.7 percentage points higher than the growth rate in the fourth quarter of the previous year.

When these data points are combined, a clear picture emerges: not only did China's economy meet its growth target in the first quarter, but more importantly, its structure is optimizing, vitality is strengthening, and expectations are improving.

Achieving 5% growth was no easy feat. Domestically, numerous longstanding issues and new challenges persist, particularly the fundamental imbalance between strong supply and weak demand. Risks and hidden dangers in areas such as real estate and local government debt remain significant. However, the first-quarter data reaffirms that the underlying conditions and fundamental trend of long-term improvement in China's economy remain unchanged. Problems and difficulties can be resolved through development and transformation. This is the confidence the first-quarter data provides.

Internationally, the world has seen frequent "black swan" and "gray rhino" events. This year, tensions between the US and Iran, a sharp rise in international oil prices, volatile gold prices, and escalating geopolitical conflicts have significantly dampened expectations for global economic growth. The International Monetary Fund (IMF) has already revised downward its global growth forecasts, projecting 3.1% for 2026 and 3.2% for 2027, both lower than the approximately 3.4% levels seen from 2024 to 2025.

Amid such a complex and severe international environment, China's first-quarter report card places it among the top performers of major global economies, far exceeding the world average. In today's world full of uncertainty, China's stability is the most scarce and valuable resource.

Since the beginning of the year, foreign dignitaries have visited China intensively, particularly leaders from Western developed countries, each invariably accompanied by large business delegations seeking cooperation with China. Notably, visits to China's high-tech companies have become a standard part of these itineraries. For instance, the German Chancellor visited Unitree Robotics, and the Spanish Prime Minister toured Xiaomi Corporation. During their meetings with Chinese leaders, they consistently expressed welcome for more Chinese enterprises to invest and do business in their countries. The international community is already voting with its feet. They recognize China's stable development environment, its ultra-large market, and, most importantly, the "China opportunity."

This year marks the beginning of the "16th Five-Year Plan" period. China's stable economic start to the year not only boosts its own confidence but also sends a clear and powerful signal to the world: by focusing on its own affairs and maintaining a steady pace, China remains the "greatest certainty" for global economic growth.