China premier urges Guangdong to ignite economic growth amid intensified competition

During a visit to Guangdong, China’s largest provincial-level contributor to gross domestic product, Premier Li Qiang emphasised the need for the province to continue leading the national economy, while Guangdong’s senior officials vowed “extraordinary” measures to drive growth.

Li urged Guangdong to “strengthen advantages in innovative development and take the lead in reform and opening up” during his three-day visit from Saturday to Monday, according to Xinhua.

His appeal comes as the Chinese economy continues to face headwinds in the new year, and Guangdong officials appear up to the challenge, with the province’s officials making rare commitments in their bid to maintain its position as the country’s long-standing economic engine, which is being increasingly challenged by the eastern powerhouse of Jiangsu.

Li called for timely and decisive actions to ensure a strong start to the nation’s 15th five-year planning period (2026–2030), stating that “enterprises should seize the opportunity and drive bold innovation to inject strong momentum into the economy’s steady and improving trajectory”.

Tasked with overseeing the global manufacturing powerhouse, Guangdong’s senior officials over the weekend vowed to “employ unconventional thinking, exert exceptional intensity, and implement extraordinary initiatives”, during a conference on promoting investment.

Specific measures include accelerating major projects to enhance effective investment and dismantling barriers to private capital, enabling the full unleashing of private sector investment.