Chang'an hits 100 billion mark in GDP

Chang'an township in Dongguan, a major manufacturing hub in Guangdong province, has joined the"100 billion yuan town" club in the province, propelled by robust industrial growth, according to a local government work report.

Following Shishan and Beijiao townships in Foshan, another manufacturing hub in Guangdong, Chang'an surpassed the 100 billion yuan ($13.64 billion) GDP mark in 2024, making it the third township in the province to exceed this economic threshold.

"We have accelerated the implementation of a project targeting high-quality rural development in 10,000 villages from 1,000 townships across 100 counties," said Wang Weizhong, governor of Guangdong, while delivering the government work report at the local annual legislative meeting on Wednesday.

Since the Guangdong government launched the project in late 2022, coordination between urban and rural regional development has continued to strengthen, Wang noted.

The distinctive industrial cluster in Chang'an has been a critical driver of its high-quality development, injecting fresh momentum into the local economy, according to He Aiting, a deputy to the Guangdong Provincial People's Congress.

As the birthplace of Oppo and Vivo smartphones, Chang'an accounts for one-eighth of the world's total smartphone shipments, making it the largest electronic information and smartphone production base globally, according to the local government.

"The vibrant growth of the electronic information industry in Chang'an, driven by leading companies like Oppo and Vivo, has spurred the rise of numerous supporting enterprises," He said.

Primarily focused on smartphones, the township's electronic information industry accounts for over 200 billion yuan of its total industrial output value of 300 billion yuan, according to local government data.

The township's GDP milestone highlights significant progress in its development, showcasing its strong economic and industrial capabilities and affirming Dongguan's role as a major economic hub, He said.

Chang'an has also actively worked to enhance public welfare by improving educational resources, upgrading medical facilities and steadily advancing greenway construction to create a better living environment for residents, He added.

Beyond the electronic information sector, Chang'an's hardware and mold industries, which have formed a cluster valued at approximately 50 billion yuan, have also played a significant role in driving local economic growth.

Additionally, the rapid development of emerging industries — including intelligent vision technologies, support industries for new energy vehicles and electronic healthcare, each valued at over 10 billion yuan — has further bolstered economic growth in Chang'an.

In another development, more townships in Foshan are expected to exceed the 100 billion yuan GDP threshold by 2027, according to Tang Yifeng, Party chief of Foshan, during a panel discussion at the provincial legislative meeting on Thursday.

Driven by strong manufacturing industries, the collective economies of 85 villages in Foshan surpassed 100 million yuan last year. By 2027, the number is expected to exceed 100 villages, Tang said.

China currently has six townships with GDP exceeding 100 billion yuan, including three in Guangdong, two in Jiangsu province and one in Guizhou province.