China a key stabilizer, driving force of world economy: official

BEIJING, Oct. 17 (Xinhua) -- China has become a crucial stabilizer and driving force for the global economy, with its green transformation and innovation breakthroughs offering significant value, said an official with the National Bureau of Statistics (NBS).

"Despite a complex and fast-changing external environment during the 14th Five-Year Plan period (2021-2025), China's economy has maintained stable growth -- serving as a key source of momentum for the uncertain global economy," said Wang Guanhua, an official with the NBS, on the latest episode of China Economic Roundtable, an all-media talk show hosted by Xinhua News Agency.

She pointed out that China's average annual economic growth rate came in at 5.5 percent from 2021 to 2024 -- ranking among the fastest of the world's major economies. The country, notably, contributed around 30 percent to global growth on average annually during this period.

Wang also highlighted China's leadership in terms of global green transition. She said that clean energy sources now account for one-third of the country's electricity consumption. In 2024, China's energy consumption per unit of GDP was 11.6 percent lower than in 2020, ranking it among global leaders in the decline of energy intensity.

China has cemented its position as a global innovation powerhouse. The country broke into the top 10 of the Global Innovation Index this year, making it as one of the world's fastest-rising innovators over the past decade, Wang said.

Breakthroughs in emerging industries such as artificial intelligence, robotics and biopharmaceuticals are propelling China up the global value chain, she added.