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Anchang Ancient Town in Shaoxing, Zhejiang province. [Photo/IC]

Shaoxing kicked off 2025 with a strong economic performance, posting a 7.2 percent year-on-year GDP growth in the first quarter — the highest among all cities in Zhejiang province.

The city's GDP reached 200.9 billion yuan ($27.76 billion), according to new data released by the municipal statistics bureau.

The services sector continues to anchor the growth. It added 102.7 billion yuan in value, up 7.1 percent from the same period last year. Traditional industries like retail, hospitality, and logistics held steady. Wholesale and retail rose 10.9 percent, accommodation and food services climbed 6.9 percent, and transport-related services grew 6.5 percent.

Consumer spending also stayed strong. Retail sales hit 81.7 billion yuan, up 5.8 percent. Policies encouraging trade-ins for durable goods helped, while online sales soared. Large-scale retailers saw a 35.2 percent spike in internet-based sales.

Income levels improved across the board. Average disposable income reached 25,451 yuan, up 6.4 percent. Urban residents earned 29,713 yuan on average, up 5.9 percent, while rural incomes rose 7.1 percent to 17,054 yuan. The income gap between the city and the countryside narrowed slightly to a ratio of 1.74.