Translated by ChatGPT, edited by Sinocism.com.

Source: People’s Daily 人民日报 | Byline: Zhong Caiwen 钟才文 | August 23, 2026, page 2

Since the beginning of this year, amid a grave and complex external environment marked by intertwined turbulence and change, China’s economy has pressed ahead under pressure, continued to develop in a more innovative and higher-quality direction, and demonstrated vigorous vitality and strong resilience. This has not only laid a solid foundation for a good start to the 15th Five-Year Plan, but also injected strong momentum and rare and valuable certainty into the world economy.

今年以来，面对变乱交织、严峻复杂的外部环境，中国经济顶压前行，持续向新向优发展，展现出蓬勃活力和强大韧性，不仅为“十五五”良好开局奠定了坚实基础，也为世界经济注入强劲动力和难能可贵的确定性。

China is the primary engine of the world economy and has made an important contribution to promoting global development and prosperity. For many years, China’s contribution to world economic growth has remained around 30 percent, making it the undisputed “number-one engine.” In the first half of this year, China’s economy grew 4.7 percent, in line with the expected target for the full year and among the best performances of the major economies; “the scenery here remained uniquely fine.” Domestic demand played the leading role, contributing more than 80 percent of economic growth, with consumption accounting for nearly 50 percent. The recently released 15th Five-Year Plan for Expanding Consumption is the first national-level special plan for the consumption sector, and China’s consumption potential and room for growth will be further unleashed. In the first half, the national consumer price index rose 1 percent year on year, a reasonable rebound in prices consistent with macro-control objectives. This stood in sharp contrast to many countries where rising global energy and raw-material prices have driven high inflation and reduced household purchasing power. China’s economy displays the distinctive characteristics of a stable foundation, numerous advantages, strong resilience and great potential. The supporting conditions and underlying trend for long-term improvement have not changed, and China will remain the most powerful, stable and reliable source of momentum for global economic growth.

中国是世界经济的主引擎，为促进全球发展繁荣作出重要贡献。多年来，中国对世界经济增长的贡献率保持在30%左右，是当之无愧的“第一引擎”。今年上半年中国经济增长4.7%，符合全年预期目标，在主要经济体中名列前茅，依然是“风景这边独好”。内需拉动起主导作用，对经济增长的贡献率超过80%，其中消费的贡献率接近50%。近期发布的《扩大消费“十五五”规划》是消费领域第一份国家级专项规划，未来中国消费潜力和空间将进一步释放。今年上半年全国居民消费价格指数同比上涨1%，物价合理回升，符合宏观调控要求，与不少国家由于全球能源、原材料等价格攀升导致通胀高企、居民购买力下降，形成了鲜明对照。中国经济呈现基础稳、优势多、韧性强、潜能大的鲜明特征，长期向好的支撑条件和基本趋势没有改变，未来仍将是全球经济增长最强大、最稳定、最可靠的动力源。

China is a stabilizing anchor for global industrial and supply chains, providing strong support for the smooth circulation of the world economy. Whether confronting the shocks of the COVID-19 pandemic or geopolitical conflicts, China has always been a staunch defender of the resilience and stability of global industrial and supply chains. Since late February, the U.S.-Israel-Iran conflict has obstructed passage through the Strait of Hormuz, tightening supplies of international crude oil and key raw materials. With the accelerated green transformation of China’s economy and society in recent years, nearly four of every 10 kilowatt-hours of electricity consumed nationwide now come from green power, while the retail penetration rate of new-energy vehicles has continued to rise, reaching a cumulative 54.1 percent in the first half. Leveraging its strong new-energy advantages, China responded proactively by reducing crude oil imports, greatly easing upward pressure on international oil prices; Chinese industry maintained efficient and stable production, offsetting supply gaps caused by production stoppages and logistics disruptions in some regions. The Wall Street Journal said China had supported the world economy by reducing oil imports. France’s Le Figaro said China had saved the world economy for the second time since the 2008 global financial crisis. Through technological innovation and full market competition, China has built the world’s largest and most complete new-energy industrial and supply-chain system, helping reduce the average levelized costs of wind and solar power by more than 60 percent and 80 percent, respectively, over the past decade-plus. China’s advanced and practical technologies in photovoltaics, wind power and energy storage, together with high-quality products such as electric cars and electric motorcycles, have turned the dream of energy transition into reality for many developing countries. Distributed solar and microgrid projects implemented by Chinese companies in sub-Saharan Africa have lit up Africa’s nights. Going forward, China will further guide the rational and orderly cross-border deployment of industrial and supply chains, align with the industrialization aspirations of Global South countries, and help more countries develop their economies, expand employment and improve people’s livelihoods.

中国是全球产供链的稳定锚，为世界经济循环畅通提供强大支撑。无论是面对新冠疫情还是地缘冲突的冲击影响，中国始终是全球产供链韧性和稳定的坚定维护者。今年2月底以来，美以伊冲突导致霍尔木兹海峡通行受阻，造成国际原油和关键原材料供给紧张。由于近年来经济社会绿色转型加快推进，目前中国全社会用电量中每10千瓦时电中有近4千瓦时是绿电，中国新能源汽车零售渗透率不断提高，上半年累计达到54.1%。中国依托强大的新能源优势积极应对，减少原油进口，极大缓解了国际油价上涨压力；中国工业保持高效稳定生产，对冲了部分区域生产停滞、物流受阻带来的供给缺口。《华尔街日报》表示，中国通过减少石油进口支撑了世界经济。法国《费加罗报》认为，中国自2008年国际金融危机以来第二次拯救了世界经济。中国依靠技术创新和充分的市场竞争，建成了全球最大、最完整的新能源产供链体系，10多年来推动全球风电和光伏发电平均度电成本分别累计下降超过60%和80%。中国的光伏、风电、储能等先进适用技术和电动汽车、电动摩托等优质产品，使众多发展中国家的能源转型从梦想变为现实。中国企业在撒哈拉以南非洲地区实施的分布式光伏和微电网项目，点亮了非洲的夜晚。下一步，中国将进一步引导产供链合理有序跨境布局，契合全球南方国家工业化愿景，助力更多国家发展经济、扩大就业、改善民生。

China is one of the world’s wellsprings of scientific and technological innovation, injecting powerful “momentum toward the new” into world economic development. Innovation is an important endogenous driver of economic development, and through its own philosophy of innovation-led development and successful practice, China is becoming one of the world’s main arenas for innovation at scale. China’s innovation strength has increased markedly. According to a World Intellectual Property Organization report, China’s Global Innovation Index ranking rose from 34th in 2012 to 10th in 2025, and it has ranked first worldwide for three consecutive years in the number of top-100 science and technology innovation clusters. Since the beginning of this year, China’s innovation achievements have continued to attract global attention: the humanoid robot “Lightning” broke the human world record in the half marathon; the semiconductor “Tao (τ) Law” burst onto the scene; China’s space program achieved successive major breakthroughs, including rocket recoveries at sea and on land; and Kimi K3, the world’s first open-source model with nearly 3 trillion parameters, was unveiled to great fanfare. China’s innovation achievements are going global at an accelerating pace. In the first half, eight of every 10 humanoid and quadruped intelligent robots sold worldwide were made in China, while outbound licensing deals for Chinese innovative drugs totaled about US$110 billion. More and more foreign-invested companies say China has grown into a global “super training ground” for technological innovation and a “hard-core gym” for competitiveness: operating in China better exercises their innovation “muscles” and tempers their competitive “sinews.” China is increasingly becoming an enabler of global innovation. In July, the World Artificial Intelligence Cooperation Organization was formally established in Shanghai. This was a major step by China in responding to the calls of the Global South and rallying the international community to advance AI development and governance. Foreign media have commented that China’s people-centered, AI-for-good philosophy and the open-source nature of Chinese AI technology are more aligned with trends in technological innovation and the needs of Global South countries, helping bridge the global AI divide and ensure that all parties benefit equally.

中国是全球科技创新的策源地之一，为世界经济发展注入强大“向新力”。创新是经济发展的重要内生动力，中国正以自身的创新发展理念和成功实践，成为全球规模化创新的主场之一。中国创新实力显著增强。根据世界知识产权组织报告，中国的全球创新指数排名从2012年第三十四位上升至2025年第十位，全球百强科技创新集群数量连续3年位居全球第一。今年以来，中国的创新成果持续吸引全球目光，人形机器人“闪电”在半程马拉松中一举打破人类的世界纪录，半导体“韬定律”横空出世，中国航天接连实现重大突破，先后实现火箭海上、陆地双模式回收，全球首个近3万亿参数的Kimi K3开源大模型震撼发布。中国创新成果加速走向世界。今年上半年，全球每销售10台人形和四足智能机器人就有8台产自中国，中国创新药对外授权交易总额约1100亿美元。越来越多的外资企业表示，中国已成长为全球技术创新的“超级训练场”和竞争能力的“硬核健身房”，在中国发展更能锤炼创新“肌肉”、锻造竞争“筋骨”。中国日益成为全球创新的赋能者。今年7月，世界人工智能合作组织在上海正式成立，这是中国响应全球南方呼声、团结国际社会积极推动人工智能发展和治理的重大举措。外媒评论指出，中方倡导的“以人为本、向上向善”理念和中国人工智能技术的开源属性，更加符合科技创新潮流和全球南方国家需要，有助于弥合全球智能鸿沟、推动各方平等受益。

China is a practitioner of mutual benefit and win-win outcomes, creating broad space for cooperative development among countries around the world. Facts are the best answer to distortions and smears such as “China Shock 2.0” and the “China squeeze” theory. Made in China improves people’s livelihoods and well-being around the world. As the world’s largest manufacturing country, China continues to provide global markets with high-quality, affordable, stable and reliable products. During the recent heat wave that swept Europe, Chinese air conditioners brought relief to Europeans and became so sought-after that they were difficult to obtain. Behind this “cool power” were Chinese companies’ keen perception of overseas market demand, the rapid response of the entire industrial chain, leading energy-saving and environmental technologies, and fast delivery via the China-Europe Railway Express. The dividends of Chinese manufacturing benefit consumers and partners worldwide. The Chinese market provides new opportunities for global development. In today’s world, the scarcest resource is the market. China’s annual imports exceed 20 trillion yuan, and China is a major export destination for nearly 80 countries. As some countries turn toward protectionism, China has consistently expanded opening-up by lowering import tariffs, holding the China International Import Expo, and launching a series of “Export to China” activities, thereby providing broad market space for goods and services from around the world. Since May 1, China has fully implemented zero-tariff treatment for all 53 African countries with which it has diplomatic relations, marking another milestone in China-Africa economic and trade cooperation. Facts prove that the “shock” and “squeeze” narratives are bogus propositions that turn truth on its head; China’s high-quality economic development has brought the world new and greater opportunities.

中国是互利共赢的实践者，为世界各国合作发展创造广阔空间。对于“中国冲击2.0”“中国挤压论”等歪曲抹黑，事实是最好的回击。中国制造增进各国民生福祉。中国作为世界第一制造业大国，持续为全球提供质高价优、稳定可靠的产品供给。在近期席卷欧洲的热浪中，中国空调为欧洲民众送去清凉，一机难求，“冷实力”的背后是中国企业对海外市场需求的敏锐洞察、全产业链的迅捷响应、领先的节能环保技术，以及依托中欧班列实现的快速送达。中国制造的红利惠及世界各国的消费者与合作伙伴。中国市场为全球发展提供新机遇。当今世界，最稀缺的资源是市场。中国年进口规模超20万亿元，是近80个国家的主要出口目的地。当一些国家转向保护主义时，中国始终坚持扩大开放，通过降低进口关税、举办进博会、推出“出口中国”系列活动等举措，为全球商品与服务提供广阔的市场空间。今年5月1日起，中国对53个非洲建交国全面实施零关税，成为中非经贸合作的又一里程碑。事实证明，“冲击论”“挤压论”是指鹿为马的伪命题，中国经济高质量发展给世界带来了新的更大机遇。