A visitor takes photos of a robot during the 2026 World AI Conference and High-Level Meeting on Global AI Governance in Shanghai, East China, July 19, 2026. [Photo/Xinhua]
Shanghai's forward-looking development in emerging technologies and industrial resilience built up over time have helped the city achieve strong economic growth in the first half, which is especially notable amid rising market complexities and a changing global landscape, said experts.
Shanghai's GDP hit 2.79 trillion yuan ($412 billion) in the first half, up 5.6 percent year-on-year at constant prices, said the municipal statistics bureau on Monday.
This growth rate is not only higher than the national average, but also exceeds the municipality's annual GDP growth in 2024 and 2025, which came at 5 percent and 5.4 percent, respectively.
Zeng Gang, chief expert and director of the Shanghai Institution for Finance & Development, described Shanghai's first-half economic performance as "rock-solid" both in terms of quality and efficiency. It was not just one sector driving the numbers, but rather the combined result of industrial upgrading, investment growth and a surge in foreign trade, Zeng said.
