Report: Cities experience soaring port economy output last year

Chinese seaport cities saw the added value of their port economy hit 7 trillion yuan ($1.03 trillion) in 2025, according to a report released by an institute under the Ministry of Transport.

The report, compiled by the planning and research institute under the ministry, provides a comprehensive evaluation of port-related economic activity across major Chinese seaport cities and inland river port cities. It was released during an international shipping industry expo held in Tianjin, a major coastal municipality in northern China.

The port economy refers to the aggregate of economic activities centered around ports, which depend on and make use of specific industries related to port activities. The port economy accounted for 13.6 percent of the total economic output of the major Chinese seaport cities.

Over the same period, the added value of the port economy in China's inland river port cities reached 2.7 trillion yuan, making up 9.7 percent of their total economic output.

Strategic emerging industries in China's inland river port cities expanded rapidly in 2025, led by chemical manufacturing, electronic equipment production and automobile manufacturing.

These industries accounted for 19.7 percent of the secondary industry's port-related economic output, effectively driving industrial transformation and upgrading in inland regions.

"In the future, China will take high-quality development as the core for the port economy. Efforts will continue to deepen the integrated development of ports, industries and cities, and advance the construction of smart and green ports driven by technological innovation," said Liu Xin, president of the transport planning and research institute of the Ministry of Transport.

Ports have also played a crucial role in boosting the country's secondary industry in coastal cities, according to the institute. Rapid growth was observed in strategic emerging sectors such as computers, communication and electronic equipment manufacturing. Ports are also increasingly supporting the industrial upgrading of hinterland economies.