Tale of 2 megacities: how did Beijing and Shanghai’s GDPs surpass 5 trillion yuan?

South China Morning PostCenter-RightEN 2 min read 100% complete by Alice LiJanuary 29, 2026 at 01:00 AM

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In 2025, Beijing's GDP reached 5.2 trillion yuan, following Shanghai which surpassed 5 trillion yuan in 2024 and reached 5.67 trillion yuan in 2025. Both cities exceeded China's national GDP growth average of 5% with a 5.4% increase. Beijing's growth was primarily fueled by the information, software, IT services, and finance sectors, alongside strong manufacturing momentum in electric vehicles and service robots. Shanghai's growth was driven by services, particularly finance and IT, with high-tech manufacturing sectors like integrated circuits, AI, and new energy also experiencing double-digit growth. These two megacities are seen as key indicators of China's overall economic performance.

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Sweden 40% Belgium 40% Yin Yong 60% China ×280% Beijing ×790% Shanghai ×690%

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gdp growth 100% economic performance 80% megacities 70% information technology 60% hi-tech manufacturing 60% artificial intelligence 50% service sector 50% electric vehicle 40% economic data 40%