The year 2022 was a significant one for China, marked by pivotal events like the 20th National Congress of the Communist Party of China, which laid out a vision for modernization. It wasn't a year without its hurdles, though. The global landscape presented its share of 'high winds and choppy waters,' while domestic priorities demanded careful balancing of reform, development, and stability.
Under the guidance of Xi Jinping Thought on Socialism with Chinese Characteristics for a New Era, and with a keen eye on both internal and external dynamics, China navigated these complexities. A key focus was coordinating COVID-19 prevention and control with economic and social development, ensuring that progress in one area didn't unduly compromise the other. The overarching principle of 'making progress while maintaining stability' guided efforts, alongside a commitment to the new development philosophy across all sectors.
The economy, despite facing unexpected impacts, demonstrated resilience. Preliminary estimates put the Gross Domestic Product (GDP) at 121,020.7 billion yuan, a 3.0 percent increase from the previous year. This growth was a collective effort, with the final consumption expenditure contributing 1.0 percentage point to the GDP growth rate, gross capital formation adding 1.5 percentage points, and net exports of goods and services accounting for 0.5 percentage points.
Breaking down the economic structure, the primary industry saw a 4.1 percent rise, the secondary industry grew by 3.8 percent, and the tertiary industry expanded by 2.3 percent. These sectors contributed 7.3 percent, 39.9 percent, and 52.8 percent to the GDP, respectively. The per capita GDP also saw a healthy increase, reaching 85,698 yuan, a 3.0 percent jump.
Beyond the headline figures, the report highlights steady improvements in development quality. Innovation-driven development was a key theme, with reform and opening-up pursued steadily. Employment and prices remained generally stable, and crucial areas like food and energy security, along with people's livelihoods, were effectively safeguarded.
On the demographic front, the end of 2022 saw China's population stand at 1,411.75 million, a slight decrease of 0.85 million from the previous year. Births numbered 9.56 million, with a crude birth rate of 6.77 per thousand, while deaths totaled 10.41 million, resulting in a crude death rate of 7.37 per thousand. This led to a natural growth rate of -0.60 per thousand.
Employment figures showed 733.51 million people employed nationwide, with urban areas accounting for 459.31 million. Newly increased urban employment reached 12.06 million. The surveyed urban unemployment rate averaged 5.6 percent for the year. The total number of migrant workers was 295.62 million, a modest increase of 1.1 percent, indicating continued movement within the labor force.
