Beijing: China’s industrial firms experienced faster revenue growth in the first nine months of 2025, with operating income rising 2.4 percent year-on-year (YoY), propelled by an 8.7 percent increase in high-tech manufacturing sector profits. This data was released by the National Bureau of Statistics (NBS) on Monday.
According to Emirates News Agency, major industrial firms recorded 5.37 trillion yuan ($745.8 billion) in profits from January to September, marking a 3.2 percent YoY increase. This represents the highest cumulative growth since August of the previous year.
The high-tech manufacturing sector’s profits rose 8.7 percent YoY, a 2.7 percentage point increase from the January-August period, contributing 1.6 percentage points to the overall industrial profit growth. In September alone, the sector’s profits surged 26.8 percent, adding 6.1 percentage points to the total industrial profit growth.
The NBS reported that profits in aerospace equipment manufacturing increased by 11.3 percent. Advances in automation and smart technologies resulted in profit surges of 81.6 percent in smart devices, 39.7 percent in electronic components, and 25.5 percent in specialized electronic equipment. Profits in optical and precision instrument manufacturing grew 45.2 percent and 17.5 percent, respectively.
Bian Yongzu, a senior researcher at the China Institutes of Contemporary International Relations, told the Global Times that China’s high-tech manufacturing sector has shown robust growth momentum, with profits posting double-digit gains in September. This growth reflects the combined effect of industrial innovation and strong policy support, with China implementing financial and fiscal incentives to encourage technological innovation.
Bian noted that universities and research institutes have strengthened their innovation capacity, cultivating a large pool of talent and providing a foundation for technological development and industrial transformation. China’s high-tech products are becoming increasingly competitive globally, underscoring the country’s innovation-driven growth strategy.
According to Bian, China’s extensive manufacturing base and well-developed supply chains provide ideal conditions for the rapid growth of high-tech industries. The country’s diversified industrial structure offers ample scenarios for new technology deployment, allowing scientific achievements to translate efficiently into productivity and fostering a healthy innovation ecosystem.
The NBS reported that manufacturing sector profits grew 9.9 percent YoY from January to September, with the electricity, heat, gas, and water production and supply industries seeing a 10.3 percent rise. The mining sector experienced a 29.3 percent decline, with the drop narrowing by 1.3 percentage points. In September, profits of major industrial enterprises increased by 21.6 percent YoY.
Profits improved for enterprises of all sizes, with notable gains among private-sector and foreign-funded firms. In the January-September period, profits of large, medium-sized, and small industrial enterprises above designated size rose 2.5 percent, 5.3 percent, and 2.7 percent YoY, respectively. Profits of shareholding companies increased 2.8 percent, while losses among state-owned enterprises further narrowed.
Yu Weining, chief statistician at the NBS, stated that as global conditions grow more complex and economic pressures persist, China will focus on expanding domestic demand, strengthening internal circulation, and promoting synergy between the domestic and international markets. This strategy aims to boost confidence and ensure steady, high-quality industrial growth.