Guangdong's efforts to promote high-level opening-up have delivered notable results during China's 14th Five-Year Plan (2021-2025). The province's foreign trade grew at an average annual rate of 6.5% in the first four years of the plan, maintaining its status as the country's largest trading province for 39 consecutive years. The data were released at a press conference on November 28.
2025 marks the final year of China's 14th Five-Year Plan (2021-2025). The five-year plans serve as a comprehensive blueprint for China's economic and social advancement, outlining goals, strategies, and priorities for each planning cycle. Each province formulates its five-year plan accordingly, and Guangdong has launched integrated measures on foreign trade, foreign investment, outsourcing services, international economic cooperation, and foreign talent to promote high-level opening-up.
Foreign trade has remained No.1 for 39 years
Guangdong's foreign trade surpassed two major milestones in 2021 and 2024, marking 8 trillion yuan and 9 trillion yuan, respectively. From January to October in 2025, imports and exports reached 7.8 trillion yuan, up 3.7%. The province's trade structure has become more diversified, with average annual growth of 7.8% in trade with the EU, 7.5% with ASEAN, and 8.1% with countries and regions involved in the Belt and Road Initiative. Cross-border e-commerce expanded rapidly, averaging 44.1% annual growth and reaching 746.2 billion yuan last year, nearly 40% of the national total. Exports of lithium batteries, electric vehicles, and photovoltaic products recorded an average annual increase of 33.1%.
Foreign investment stays above 100 billion yuan annually
Over the first four years of the plan, Guangdong attracted more than 100 billion yuan in actual foreign investment annually, with 237 projects each exceeding 100 million US dollars. From January to October this year, actual utilized foreign capital rose 7.5% to 84.62 billion yuan, keeping the province among the national leaders.
Outsourcing services see rapid expansion
The value of executed outsourcing services and services trade grew at average annual rates of 12% and 16.8% respectively, far outpacing goods trade. In 2024, the province's digital trade exceeded 680 billion yuan.
International economic cooperation leads nationwide
Guangdong's outbound direct investment rose at an average of 7.4% annually from 2021 to 2024, remaining the highest nationwide. From January to October in 2025, outbound direct investment reached 25.904 billion US dollars, surging 55.4% and strengthening international cooperation across industrial and supply chains.
Foreign talent and global innovation resources converge
Guangdong has attracted 561 foreign-funded R&D institutions, which have invested a cumulative 18.75 billion US dollars in research and development. The province now allows 26 categories of professionals from Hong Kong and Macao, including architects and engineers, to practice upon simple registration. It has also drawn 2,446 youth innovation and entrepreneurship teams from Hong Kong, Macao, Taiwan, and abroad.
Reporter | Dai Bosi
Photo | Nanfang Plus
Editor | Hu Nan, James Campion, Shen He
