Speaker:
Ning Jizhe, commissioner of the National Bureau of Statistics
Chairperson:
Chen Wenjun, director general of the Press Bureau of the State Council Information Office (SCIO) and spokesperson of the SCIO
Date:
Jan. 17, 2022
Chen Wenjun:
Ladies and gentlemen, good morning. Welcome to this press conference held by the State Council Information Office (SCIO). Today, we have invited Mr. Ning Jizhe, commissioner of the National Bureau of Statistics (NBS), to introduce China's economic performance in 2021, and answer your questions. Now, I would like to give the floor to Mr. Ning.
Ning Jizhe:
Friends from the media, good morning. In 2021, faced with multiple challenges including a grave and complex international environment and sporadic outbreaks of the pandemic at home, under the strong leadership of the Central Committee of the Communist Party of China (CPC) with Comrade Xi Jinping at its core, all regions and departments fully implemented the policy decisions and plans of the CPC Central Committee and the State Council, adhered to the general working guideline of making progress while maintaining stability, coordinated epidemic prevention and control work with socio-economic development, took solid steps to ensure stability on the six fronts (employment, finance, foreign trade, foreign investment, domestic investment and market expectations) and security in the six areas (employment, people's livelihood, market entities, food and energy, stability of industrial and supply chains, and grassroots operations), strengthened the macro polices for cross-cyclical adjustment, and increased the support to the real economy. As a result, national economic recovery and development were sustained, reform and opening-up and innovation were further advanced, people's livelihoods were strongly and effectively safeguarded, new strides were made in building a new development pattern, and new achievements were secured in high-quality development, thus kicking off a good start for the 14th Five-Year Plan.
According to preliminary estimates, the gross domestic product (GDP) was 114.37 trillion yuan in 2021, an increase of 8.1% over the previous year at constant prices with average two-year growth of 5.1%. By quarter, the GDP for the first quarter went up by 18.3% year on year, up by 7.9% for the second quarter, 4.9% for the third quarter and 4% for the fourth quarter. By industries, the value added of the primary industry was 8.31 trillion yuan, up by 7.1% over the previous year, that of the secondary industry was 45.1 trillion yuan, up by 8.2% and that of the tertiary industry was 60.97 trillion yuan, up by 8.2%.
First, grain output reached a new high and production of animal husbandry grew steadily.
The total output of grain in 2021 was 682.85 million metric tons, an increase of 13.36 million metric tons, or up by 2% over the previous year. Of this total, the output of summer grain was 145.96 million metric tons, up by 2.2%, and that of early rice was 28.02 million metric tons, up by 2.7%. The output of autumn grain reached 508.88 million metric tons, up by 1.9%. By crop variety, the output of rice was 212.84 million metric tons, up by 0.5%; wheat, 136.95 million metric tons, up by 2%; corn, 272.55 million metric tons, up by 4.6%; and soybean, 16.4 million metric tons, down by 16.4%. The total output of pork, beef, mutton and poultry in 2021 was 88.87 million metric tons, up by 16.3% over the previous year. Of this total, the output of pork was 52.96 million metric tons, up by 28.8%; beef, 6.98 million metric tons, up by 3.7%; mutton, 5.14 million metric tons, up by 4.4%; poultry, 23.8 million metric tons, up by 0.8%; milk, 36.83 million metric tons, up by 7.1%; and eggs, 34.09 million metric tons, down by 1.7%. At the end of 2021, pigs and breeding sows registered in stock were up by 10.5% and 4%, respectively, compared with the end of 2020.
Second, industrial production experienced sustained development and high-tech manufacturing and equipment manufacturing enjoyed fast growth.
The total value added of industrial enterprises above designated size increased by 9.6% over the previous year, with average two-year growth of 6.1%. In terms of sectors, the value added of mining was up by 5.3%, that of manufacturing was up by 9.8% and that of production and supply of electricity, thermal power, gas and water was up by 11.4%. The value added of high-tech manufacturing and equipment manufacturing went up by 18.2% and 12.9%, respectively, or 8.6 percentage points and 3.3 percentage points faster than that of industrial enterprises above designated size. By products, the production of new energy vehicles, industrial robots, integrated circuits, and micro computer equipment grew by 145.6%, 44.9%, 33.3% and 22.3%, respectively. In terms of ownership, the value added of state holding enterprises grew by 8%, that of share-holding enterprises was up by 9.8%, that of enterprises funded by foreign investors and investors from Hong Kong, Macao and Taiwan was up by 8.9% and that of private enterprises was up by 10.2%. In December, the total value added of industrial enterprises above designated size grew by 4.3% year on year with an increase of 0.42% month on month. The Manufacturing Purchasing Managers' Index was 50.3%, 0.2 percentage points higher than that of the previous month. In 2021, the national industrial capacity utilization rate reached 77.5%, 3 percentage points higher than that of the previous year.
In the first eleven months of last year, the total profits made by industrial enterprises above designated size were 7.98 trillion yuan, up by 38% year on year with an average two-year growth of 18.9%. The profit rate of the business revenue of industrial enterprises above designated size was 6.98%, up by 0.9 percentage points year on year.
Third, the service sector witnessed sustained recovery with modern service industries demonstrating sound growth momentum.
The tertiary industry experienced fast growth in 2021. In terms of industries, the value added of the information transmission, software and information technology services, accommodation and catering services, and transportation, storage and postal services grew by 17.2%, 14.5% and 12.1% over the previous year respectively, maintaining the restorative growth. In 2021, the Index of Services Production grew by 13.1% compared with that of the previous year with an average two-year growth of 6%. In December, the Index of Services Production grew by 3% year on year. In the first eleven months of last year, business revenue of service enterprises above designated size grew by 20.7% year on year with average two-year growth of 10.8%. In December, the Business Activity Index for services was 52%, 0.9 percentage points higher than that of the previous month. Specifically, the Business Activity Index for sectors like telecommunication, broadcast, television and satellite transmission services, monetary and financial services, and capital market services stayed within the high expansion range of 60% and above.
Fourth, market sales expanded with sales of basic living goods and upgraded consumer goods growing fast.
In 2021, the total retail sales of consumer goods reached 44.08 trillion yuan, up by 12.5% over the previous year with an average two-year growth of 3.9%. Analyzed by different areas, retail sales in urban areas reached 38.16 trillion yuan, up by 12.5%; and retail sales in rural areas stood at 5.93 trillion yuan, up by 12.1%. Grouped by consumption patterns, the retail sales of goods were 39.39 trillion yuan, up by 11.8%; and the income from catering was 4.69 trillion yuan, up by 18.6%. The basic living consumption sustained good momentum of growth, with the retail sales of beverages and grain, oil and food by enterprises above designated size growing by 20.4% and 10.8% over the previous year. The demand for upgraded consumer goods continued to be unleashed, with the retail sales of gold, silver and jewelry and that of cultural and office supplies by enterprises above designated size growing by 29.8% and 18.8%, respectively. In December, the total retail sales of consumer goods grew by 1.7% year on year, or down by 0.18% month on month. In 2021, national online retail sales reached 13.09 trillion yuan, growing by 14.1% over the previous year. Specifically, the online retail sales of physical goods were 10.8 trillion yuan, up by 12%, accounting for 24.5% of the total retail sales of consumer goods.
Fifth, investment in fixed assets continued to increase and investment in manufacturing and high-tech industries maintained a good growth momentum.
In 2021, the investment in fixed assets (excluding rural households) reached 54.45 trillion yuan, up by 4.9% over the previous year with an average two-year growth of 3.9%. Specifically, investment in infrastructure rose by 0.4%, manufacturing was up by 13.5% and real estate development was up by 4.4%. The floor space of commercial buildings sold reached 1.79 billion square meters, up by 1.9%. The total sales of commercial buildings were 18.19 trillion yuan, up by 4.8%. In terms of industries, investment in the primary industry went up by 9.1%; that in the secondary industry was up by 11.3%; and that in the tertiary industry was up by 2.1%. Private investment was 30.77 trillion yuan, up by 7%, accounting for 56.5% of the total investment. The investment in high-tech industries grew by 17.1%, 12.2 percentage points faster than the total investment, of which the investment in high-tech manufacturing and high-tech services grew by 22.2% and 7.9%, respectively. In terms of high-tech manufacturing, the investment in electronics and communication equipment manufacturing and in manufacturing of computers and office equipment grew by 25.8% and 21.1%, respectively. In terms of high-tech services, the investment in e-commerce services and services for transformation of scientific and technological achievements grew by 60.3% and 16%, respectively. Investment in the social sector went up by 10.7% over the previous year. Specifically, the investment in the health sector and education sector went up by 24.5% and 11.7%, respectively. In December, the investment in fixed assets grew by 0.22% month on month.
Sixth, the import and export of goods registered fast growth and the trade structure continues to optimize.
The total value of imports and exports of goods in 2021 amounted to 39.1 trillion yuan, up 21.4% year on year. Specifically, the total value of exports reached 21.73 trillion yuan, up by 21.2%; and that of imports was 17.37 trillion yuan, up by 21.5%. The trade balance was 4.37 trillion yuan in surplus. The imports and exports of general trade grew by 24.7%, accounting for 61.6% of the total value of foreign trade, an increase of 1.6 percentage points over the previous year. Imports and exports from private enterprises grew by 26.7%, accounting for 48.6% of the total value of foreign trade, two percentage points higher than that of the previous year. In December, the total value of imports and exports of goods was 3.75 trillion yuan, up by 16.7% year on year. Specifically, the total value of exports in December was 2.18 trillion yuan, up by 17.3%; and that of imports was 1.57 trillion yuan, up by 16%. The trade balance was 604.7 billion yuan in surplus.
