China has a GDP of $18.7T compared to $4.03T for Japan, ranking 2/197 and 4/197 by economy size, respectively.
China has $16.6T in government debt (96.3% of GDP), compared to $9.53T (234.9% of GDP) in Japan.
The chart below compares the two countries' GDP growth in both current (nominal) and constant dollars, accounting for inflation over time.
| Year | GDP | |||
|---|---|---|---|---|
China
|
Japan
|
|||
| Current $ | Constant $ | Current $ | Constant $ | |
| 1960 | $59,846,235,025 | $161,023,131,028 | $47,419,238,274 | $595,545,661,031 |
| 1961 | $50,162,299,350 | $117,112,123,191 | $57,266,758,180 | $667,270,419,544 |
| 1962 | $47,310,737,754 | $110,577,266,728 | $64,987,857,542 | $726,717,361,028 |
| 1963 | $50,812,227,919 | $121,966,725,197 | $74,379,284,603 | $788,296,791,336 |
| 1964 | $59,821,862,703 | $144,140,275,830 | $87,490,590,818 | $880,343,907,381 |
| 1965 | $70,565,994,356 | $168,572,052,589 | $97,338,107,606 | $931,577,351,069 |
| 1966 | $76,854,053,259 | $186,524,976,187 | $113,046,784,179 | $1,030,683,781,033 |
| 1967 | $73,011,350,596 | $175,762,485,054 | $132,475,614,227 | $1,144,905,624,565 |
| 1968 | $70,980,323,819 | $168,556,223,190 | $156,897,496,759 | $1,292,397,726,863 |
| 1969 | $79,847,786,729 | $197,109,647,392 | $184,298,841,305 | $1,453,661,751,929 |
| 1970 | $92,752,930,873 | $235,151,809,332 | $217,223,652,719 | $1,459,462,598,522 |
| 1971 | $99,959,013,880 | $251,753,527,067 | $245,364,056,622 | $1,528,042,629,883 |
| 1972 | $113,871,930,714 | $261,345,336,449 | $324,933,841,269 | $1,656,605,218,635 |
| 1973 | $138,764,340,892 | $281,625,734,560 | $441,460,582,536 | $1,789,673,689,006 |
| 1974 | $144,418,433,058 | $288,131,289,037 | $490,035,789,970 | $1,767,745,894,180 |
| 1975 | $163,687,619,736 | $313,256,337,433 | $532,861,438,885 | $1,822,397,100,508 |
| 1976 | $154,196,810,059 | $308,338,212,930 | $598,883,902,156 | $1,894,837,095,325 |
| 1977 | $175,226,595,860 | $331,679,415,654 | $737,069,290,928 | $1,978,026,847,419 |
| 1978 | $149,788,617,886 | $369,245,353,261 | $1,035,611,588,217 | $2,082,307,265,730 |
| 1979 | $178,573,913,043 | $397,275,966,893 | $1,077,910,077,676 | $2,196,501,867,257 |
| 1980 | $191,487,500,000 | $428,399,142,253 | $1,129,377,244,854 | $2,258,390,310,743 |
| 1981 | $196,218,253,968 | $450,302,166,910 | $1,245,221,410,764 | $2,354,611,841,484 |
| 1982 | $205,480,916,031 | $491,096,319,837 | $1,158,731,426,906 | $2,431,837,052,476 |
| 1983 | $231,130,268,199 | $543,778,042,482 | $1,270,859,919,743 | $2,520,117,566,448 |
| 1984 | $260,442,857,143 | $626,609,364,484 | $1,345,824,500,837 | $2,631,276,932,032 |
| 1985 | $310,064,625,850 | $710,797,305,027 | $1,427,019,759,717 | $2,767,045,767,160 |
| 1986 | $301,310,144,928 | $774,307,505,788 | $2,120,083,812,110 | $2,858,193,572,218 |
| 1987 | $273,455,156,951 | $864,345,705,903 | $2,580,748,422,781 | $2,991,067,029,861 |
| 1988 | $312,888,888,889 | $961,347,723,725 | $3,125,724,434,401 | $3,190,321,043,523 |
| 1989 | $348,380,566,802 | $1,001,785,223,304 | $3,109,455,047,824 | $3,347,469,412,118 |
| 1990 | $361,560,229,446 | $1,041,271,896,196 | $3,185,904,656,664 | $3,509,518,031,563 |
| 1991 | $384,510,452,962 | $1,138,752,669,459 | $3,648,065,760,649 | $3,633,170,889,061 |
| 1992 | $428,502,354,788 | $1,301,589,870,245 | $3,980,702,922,118 | $3,665,890,719,857 |
| 1993 | $446,557,291,212 | $1,482,889,338,699 | $4,536,940,479,038 | $3,649,056,226,896 |
| 1994 | $566,929,539,493 | $1,676,743,149,158 | $4,998,797,547,741 | $3,688,589,488,079 |
| 1995 | $738,190,896,228 | $1,861,735,071,148 | $5,545,563,663,890 | $3,785,636,263,362 |
| 1996 | $868,523,936,530 | $2,047,465,483,837 | $4,923,391,533,852 | $3,904,273,220,110 |
| 1997 | $967,753,570,435 | $2,237,626,840,760 | $4,492,448,605,639 | $3,942,583,070,732 |
| 1998 | $1,037,134,141,760 | $2,414,864,610,328 | $4,098,362,709,531 | $3,892,499,235,708 |
| 1999 | $1,103,843,203,576 | $2,601,702,759,079 | $4,635,982,224,064 | $3,879,501,014,657 |
| 2000 | $1,223,754,919,971 | $2,825,096,197,800 | $4,968,359,075,957 | $3,986,755,544,464 |
| 2001 | $1,355,036,590,252 | $3,059,936,242,479 | $4,374,711,694,091 | $4,002,148,544,213 |
| 2002 | $1,489,821,682,051 | $3,342,778,183,071 | $4,182,846,045,874 | $4,003,827,945,767 |
| 2003 | $1,683,903,309,844 | $3,681,006,926,651 | $4,519,561,645,254 | $4,065,291,729,517 |
| 2004 | $1,984,196,551,300 | $4,053,944,733,454 | $4,893,116,005,657 | $4,154,163,710,039 |
| 2005 | $2,317,551,298,052 | $4,518,455,387,849 | $4,831,467,035,390 | $4,229,100,705,436 |
| 2006 | $2,791,498,472,804 | $5,091,154,930,758 | $4,601,663,122,650 | $4,287,138,774,362 |
| 2007 | $3,604,055,822,572 | $5,811,552,614,974 | $4,579,750,920,355 | $4,350,758,602,406 |
| 2008 | $4,667,346,414,522 | $6,373,544,042,638 | $5,106,679,115,127 | $4,297,492,743,393 |
| 2009 | $5,189,577,094,998 | $6,972,829,250,985 | $5,289,493,117,994 | $4,052,826,324,004 |
| 2010 | $6,192,564,874,453 | $7,711,689,202,853 | $5,759,071,769,013 | $4,218,907,820,179 |
| 2011 | $7,671,757,207,851 | $8,441,318,020,902 | $6,233,147,172,341 | $4,219,912,322,040 |
| 2012 | $8,673,664,713,189 | $9,104,482,675,356 | $6,272,362,996,105 | $4,277,925,608,846 |
| 2013 | $9,743,124,247,267 | $9,812,695,262,901 | $5,212,328,181,166 | $4,363,702,302,793 |
| 2014 | $10,674,533,168,257 | $10,544,908,798,424 | $4,896,994,405,353 | $4,376,627,829,635 |
| 2015 | $11,280,814,787,469 | $11,280,814,787,469 | $4,444,930,651,964 | $4,444,930,651,964 |
| 2016 | $11,456,024,084,962 | $12,045,152,668,727 | $5,003,677,627,544 | $4,478,437,728,050 |
| 2017 | $12,537,559,062,283 | $12,875,216,222,853 | $4,930,837,369,151 | $4,553,466,417,290 |
| 2018 | $14,147,765,772,964 | $13,745,158,275,137 | $5,040,880,939,325 | $4,582,763,011,479 |
| 2019 | $14,560,167,101,283 | $14,579,283,528,148 | $5,117,993,853,017 | $4,564,332,550,096 |
| 2020 | $14,996,414,166,715 | $14,920,466,234,565 | $5,054,068,005,376 | $4,374,056,271,824 |
| 2021 | $18,201,698,719,564 | $16,199,162,892,909 | $5,039,148,168,861 | $4,492,005,937,827 |
| 2022 | $18,316,765,021,690 | $16,706,875,253,649 | $4,262,463,317,797 | $4,534,320,578,756 |
| 2023 | $18,270,356,654,533 | $17,611,526,369,127 | $4,213,167,237,906 | $4,601,203,385,714 |
| 2024 | $18,743,803,170,827 | $18,488,114,837,769 | $4,026,210,821,147 | $4,605,054,526,892 |
Economic indicators
|
China
|
Japan
|
|
|---|---|---|
| Gross domestic product |
$18.7T
2024 |
$4.03T
2024 |
| GDP rank |
2/197
2024 |
4/197
2024 |
| GDP growth |
2.59%
2023-2024 |
-4.44%
2023-2024 |
| GDP per capita |
$13,303
2024 |
$32,476
2024 |
| GDP per capita rank |
76/197
2024 |
37/197
2024 |
| GDP per capita, PPP |
$27,105
2024 |
$51,685
2024 |
| Government debt |
$16.6T
2024 |
$9.53T
2024 |
| Debt-to-GDP ratio |
96.3%
2025 |
234.9%
2025 |
| Government debt per person |
$11,750
2024 |
$76,857
2024 |
| Government debt per person rank |
48/185
2024 |
3/185
2024 |
| Average annual personal income after taxes |
$9,060
2025 |
$23,719
2025 |
| Market capitalization of domestic companies |
$11.8T
2024 |
$6.31T
2024 |
| Number of millionaires |
6,013,282
2024 |
2,827,956
2024 |
| Number of billionaires |
450
2025 |
42
2025 |
| Income share by richest 10% |
28.4%
2022 |
23.9%
2020 |
| Income share by poorest 10% |
3.1%
2022 |
2.4%
2020 |
| Government expenditure, % of GDP |
33.7%
2025 |
39.6%
2025 |
| Consumer prices inflation |
0%
2024-2025 |
2.74%
2023-2024 |
| Central bank interest rate |
3.1%
2024 |
0.5%
2025 |
| Unemployment rate |
5.11%
2021 |
2.5%
2024 |
| Population |
1405773318
|
123324642
|
GDP per capita in China vs Japan
China's GDP per capita is $13,303, ranking 76/197, compared to $32,476 in Japan, ranking 37/197. Adjusted for purchasing power (GDP per capita PPP), China ranks 77th at $27,105, while Japan ranks 40th at $51,685.
| Year | Current $ | |||
|---|---|---|---|---|
|
China
|
Japan
|
|||
| GDP per capita | GDP per capita, PPP | GDP per capita | GDP per capita, PPP | |
| 1960 | $89.7 | - | $509 | - |
| 1961 | $76 | - | $609 | - |
| 1962 | $71.1 | - | $685 | - |
| 1963 | $74.5 | - | $776 | - |
| 1964 | $85.7 | - | $903 | - |
| 1965 | $98.7 | - | $994 | - |
| 1966 | $104.5 | - | $1,144 | - |
| 1967 | $96.8 | - | $1,326 | - |
| 1968 | $91.6 | - | $1,553 | - |
| 1969 | $100.3 | - | $1,803 | - |
| 1970 | $113.3 | - | $2,101 | - |
| 1971 | $118.8 | - | $2,321 | - |
| 1972 | $132.1 | - | $3,031 | - |
| 1973 | $157.3 | - | $4,061 | - |
| 1974 | $160.4 | - | $4,448 | - |
| 1975 | $178.6 | - | $4,776 | - |
| 1976 | $165.7 | - | $5,310 | - |
| 1977 | $185.7 | - | $6,473 | - |
| 1978 | $156.7 | - | $9,012 | - |
| 1979 | $184.3 | - | $9,301 | - |
| 1980 | $195.1 | - | $9,669 | - |
| 1981 | $197.4 | - | $10,583 | - |
| 1982 | $203.7 | - | $9,780 | - |
| 1983 | $225.9 | - | $10,652 | - |
| 1984 | $251.2 | - | $11,207 | - |
| 1985 | $295 | - | $11,809 | - |
| 1986 | $282.4 | - | $17,452 | - |
| 1987 | $252.3 | - | $21,142 | - |
| 1988 | $284 | - | $25,500 | - |
| 1989 | $311 | - | $25,266 | - |
| 1990 | $319 | $991 | $25,801 | $19,913 |
| 1991 | $334 | $1,105 | $29,428 | $21,228 |
| 1992 | $368 | $1,276 | $31,993 | $21,826 |
| 1993 | $379 | $1,471 | $36,345 | $22,169 |
| 1994 | $476 | $1,680 | $39,934 | $22,823 |
| 1995 | $613 | $1,884 | $44,198 | $23,859 |
| 1996 | $713 | $2,088 | $39,150 | $25,001 |
| 1997 | $787 | $2,297 | $35,638 | $25,620 |
| 1998 | $835 | $2,483 | $32,424 | $25,510 |
| 1999 | $881 | $2,690 | $36,610 | $25,736 |
| 2000 | $969 | $2,964 | $39,169 | $27,287 |
| 2001 | $1,065 | $3,258 | $34,406 | $27,942 |
| 2002 | $1,164 | $3,591 | $32,821 | $28,624 |
| 2003 | $1,307 | $4,007 | $35,387 | $29,392 |
| 2004 | $1,531 | $4,505 | $38,299 | $30,831 |
| 2005 | $1,778 | $5,148 | $37,813 | $32,170 |
| 2006 | $2,129 | $5,946 | $35,992 | $33,635 |
| 2007 | $2,735 | $6,935 | $35,779 | $35,016 |
| 2008 | $3,523 | $7,713 | $39,876 | $35,274 |
| 2009 | $3,898 | $8,448 | $41,309 | $33,547 |
| 2010 | $4,629 | $9,411 | $44,968 | $35,335 |
| 2011 | $5,704 | $10,457 | $48,760 | $36,214 |
| 2012 | $6,405 | $11,420 | $49,145 | $37,606 |
| 2013 | $7,147 | $12,228 | $40,899 | $39,402 |
| 2014 | $7,781 | $12,942 | $38,475 | $39,555 |
| 2015 | $8,175 | $13,463 | $34,961 | $40,907 |
| 2016 | $8,255 | $14,157 | $39,375 | $40,597 |
| 2017 | $8,980 | $15,022 | $38,834 | $41,444 |
| 2018 | $10,086 | $16,298 | $39,751 | $42,142 |
| 2019 | $10,343 | $17,601 | $40,416 | $42,678 |
| 2020 | $10,627 | $18,267 | $40,029 | $42,426 |
| 2021 | $12,887 | $20,843 | $40,095 | $44,355 |
| 2022 | $12,971 | $23,032 | $34,066 | $47,396 |
| 2023 | $12,951 | $25,179 | $33,836 | $49,897 |
| 2024 | $13,303 | $27,105 | $32,476 | $51,685 |
Spending and national debt comparison
In 2024, China's government spending was $6.18T, accounting for 33.7% of its GDP, while Japan's spent $1.59T, or 39.6% of GDP.
Debt-to-GDP ratio is 96.3% in China and 234.9% in Japan, ranking 26/185 and 3/185, respectively.
| Year | % of GDP | |||
|---|---|---|---|---|
|
China
|
Japan
|
|||
| Government spending | Government debt | Government spending | Government debt | |
| 1960 | - | - | 18.4% | 10.4% |
| 1961 | - | - | 18.2% | 8.44% |
| 1962 | - | - | 19.4% | 9.01% |
| 1963 | - | - | 20% | 8.66% |
| 1964 | - | - | 19.8% | 8.53% |
| 1965 | - | - | 20.4% | 9.78% |
| 1966 | - | - | 20.8% | 11.2% |
| 1967 | - | - | 19.9% | 11.4% |
| 1968 | - | - | 20.1% | 11.8% |
| 1969 | - | - | 19.8% | 11.4% |
| 1970 | - | - | 20.2% | 11.2% |
| 1971 | - | - | 21.8% | 12.6% |
| 1972 | - | - | 23.1% | 16.3% |
| 1973 | - | - | 23.3% | 15.9% |
| 1974 | - | - | 25.5% | 16.7% |
| 1975 | - | - | 28.5% | 20.9% |
| 1976 | - | - | 29.1% | 26.1% |
| 1977 | - | - | 30.4% | 31.1% |
| 1978 | - | - | 32.1% | 39% |
| 1979 | - | - | 33.2% | 43.8% |
| 1980 | - | - | 33.5% | 47.8% |
| 1981 | - | - | 31.5% | 52.8% |
| 1982 | 27.9% | - | 31.7% | 57.7% |
| 1983 | 28.3% | - | 31.8% | 63.5% |
| 1984 | 26.9% | 0.97% | 31.2% | 65.6% |
| 1985 | 25.8% | 3.31% | 30.4% | 68.3% |
| 1986 | 25.6% | 3.24% | 30.4% | 74.1% |
| 1987 | 23.4% | 3.6% | 30.6% | 75.8% |
| 1988 | 20.9% | 4.46% | 29.9% | 71.9% |
| 1989 | 18.6% | - | 29.2% | 65.7% |
| 1990 | 18.2% | - | 29.5% | 63.2% |
| 1991 | 16.5% | - | 29.3% | 62.4% |
| 1992 | 14.6% | - | 30.3% | 66.8% |
| 1993 | 13.4% | - | 32.1% | 72.8% |
| 1994 | 12.4% | - | 32.8% | 84.4% |
| 1995 | 11.1% | 21.4% | 33.4% | 92.5% |
| 1996 | 11% | 21.2% | 33.8% | 98.1% |
| 1997 | 11.5% | 20.4% | 33.1% | 105% |
| 1998 | 12.6% | 20.4% | 38.6% | 116% |
| 1999 | 14.9% | 21.6% | 35.6% | 129.5% |
| 2000 | 16.1% | 22.7% | 36% | 135.6% |
| 2001 | 17.2% | 24.3% | 35.2% | 145.1% |
| 2002 | 18.2% | 25.6% | 35.4% | 154.1% |
| 2003 | 18% | 26.4% | 35% | 160% |
| 2004 | 17.6% | 26% | 33.7% | 169.5% |
| 2005 | 18% | 25.9% | 33.5% | 174.6% |
| 2006 | 18.1% | 25.2% | 33.1% | 174.1% |
| 2007 | 17.9% | 28.7% | 33.1% | 173% |
| 2008 | 22.2% | 26.7% | 34.1% | 180.9% |
| 2009 | 25.2% | 34% | 38.7% | 198.8% |
| 2010 | 24.7% | 33.3% | 37.7% | 205.9% |
| 2011 | 26.6% | 33.2% | 38.6% | 219.2% |
| 2012 | 27.7% | 33.8% | 38.6% | 226.1% |
| 2013 | 28.1% | 36.4% | 38.8% | 229.5% |
| 2014 | 28.4% | 39.3% | 38.4% | 233.3% |
| 2015 | 31% | 40.8% | 37.3% | 228.3% |
| 2016 | 31.7% | 49.7% | 37.2% | 232.4% |
| 2017 | 32% | 53.9% | 36.7% | 231.3% |
| 2018 | 32.6% | 55.6% | 36.7% | 232.4% |
| 2019 | 33.6% | 59.4% | 37.3% | 236.4% |
| 2020 | 34.8% | 69% | 44.5% | 258.4% |
| 2021 | 31.9% | 70.1% | 42.5% | 253.7% |
| 2022 | 32.6% | 75.5% | 41.8% | 248.3% |
| 2023 | 32.7% | 82% | 39.1% | 240% |
| 2024 | 32.9% | 88.3% | 39.4% | 236.7% |
| 2025 | 33.7% | 96.3% | 39.6% | 234.9% |
Government deficit by year
In 2024, China's government deficit, the difference between spending and revenue, was -$1.38T, equivalent to -7.34% of GDP. This compares to Japan's deficit of -$99.8B, or -2.48% of GDP.
Over the past 43 years, China recorded a fiscal deficit in 42 of those years, while Japan ran a deficit in 38 years. On average, China posted an annual deficit equal to -2.28% of GDP, compared to deficit of -4.2% of GDP for Japan.
| Year | Deficit/surplus, % of GDP | |
|---|---|---|
|
China
|
Japan
|
|
| 1875 | - | 0.005% |
| 1876 | - | -0.42% |
| 1877 | - | -0.29% |
| 1878 | - | 0.02% |
| 1879 | - | 0.02% |
| 1880 | - | 0.004% |
| 1881 | - | 0.001% |
| 1882 | - | 0.001% |
| 1883 | - | 0.03% |
| 1884 | - | 0.001% |
| 1885 | - | 0.01% |
| 1886 | - | 0.03% |
| 1887 | - | 0.11% |
| 1888 | - | 0.13% |
| 1889 | - | 0.18% |
| 1890 | - | 0.74% |
| 1891 | - | 0.61% |
| 1892 | - | 0.63% |
| 1893 | - | 0.6% |
| 1894 | - | -0.24% |
| 1895 | - | 0.28% |
| 1896 | - | 0.88% |
| 1897 | - | 0.33% |
| 1898 | - | 0.6% |
| 1899 | - | 0.2% |
| 1900 | - | 0.53% |
| 1901 | - | 0.21% |
| 1902 | - | 0.44% |
| 1903 | - | 0.19% |
| 1904 | - | -0.81% |
| 1905 | - | -0.68% |
| 1906 | - | 0.46% |
| 1907 | - | 1.77% |
| 1908 | - | 1.63% |
| 1909 | - | 1.51% |
| 1910 | - | 1.57% |
| 1911 | - | 1.21% |
| 1912 | - | 1.27% |
| 1913 | - | 1.21% |
| 1914 | - | 1.31% |
| 1915 | - | 1.41% |
| 1916 | - | 1.37% |
| 1917 | - | 1.54% |
| 1918 | - | 1.58% |
| 1919 | - | 1.21% |
| 1920 | - | 1.19% |
| 1921 | - | 1.43% |
| 1922 | - | 0.89% |
| 1923 | - | 0.87% |
| 1924 | - | 0.84% |
| 1925 | - | 0.75% |
| 1926 | - | 0.65% |
| 1927 | - | 0.58% |
| 1928 | - | 0.42% |
| 1929 | - | 0.5% |
| 1930 | - | 0.19% |
| 1931 | - | 0.23% |
| 1932 | - | 0.31% |
| 1933 | - | 0.28% |
| 1934 | - | 0.34% |
| 1935 | - | 0.26% |
| 1936 | - | 0.34% |
| 1937 | - | 0.71% |
| 1938 | - | 0.45% |
| 1939 | - | 0.11% |
| 1940 | - | 0.31% |
| 1941 | - | -0.19% |
| 1942 | - | -0.13% |
| 1943 | - | 0.32% |
| 1944 | - | 0.32% |
| 1945 | - | 0.32% |
| 1946 | - | 0.32% |
| 1947 | - | 6.09% |
| 1948 | - | 7.53% |
| 1949 | - | 12.5% |
| 1950 | - | 6.99% |
| 1951 | - | 5.06% |
| 1952 | - | 2.22% |
| 1953 | - | 1.65% |
| 1954 | - | 0.7% |
| 1955 | - | -0.67% |
| 1956 | - | 1.39% |
| 1957 | - | 1.27% |
| 1958 | - | -0.1% |
| 1959 | - | 0.97% |
| 1960 | - | 1.85% |
| 1961 | - | 2.58% |
| 1962 | - | 1.49% |
| 1963 | - | 1.08% |
| 1964 | - | 0.85% |
| 1965 | - | 0.48% |
| 1966 | - | -0.34% |
| 1967 | - | 0.8% |
| 1968 | - | 0.88% |
| 1969 | - | 1.26% |
| 1970 | - | 1.74% |
| 1971 | - | 1.21% |
| 1972 | - | -0.13% |
| 1973 | - | 0.56% |
| 1974 | - | 0.38% |
| 1975 | - | -2.92% |
| 1976 | - | -3.89% |
| 1977 | - | -4.02% |
| 1978 | - | -5.79% |
| 1979 | - | -5% |
| 1980 | - | -4.66% |
| 1981 | - | -3.85% |
| 1982 | -1.33% | -3.81% |
| 1983 | -1.61% | -3.95% |
| 1984 | -1.44% | -2.62% |
| 1985 | -0.45% | -1.37% |
| 1986 | -1.82% | -1.36% |
| 1987 | -2.08% | -0.36% |
| 1988 | -2.22% | 0.49% |
| 1989 | -0.91% | 1.23% |
| 1990 | -0.72% | 1.96% |
| 1991 | -1.04% | 1.67% |
| 1992 | -1.22% | 0.57% |
| 1993 | -0.89% | -2.39% |
| 1994 | -1.68% | -3.76% |
| 1995 | -0.94% | -4.3% |
| 1996 | -0.73% | -4.87% |
| 1997 | -0.73% | -3.53% |
| 1998 | -1.08% | -10% |
| 1999 | -2.3% | -6.75% |
| 2000 | -2.81% | -7.28% |
| 2001 | -2.56% | -6.2% |
| 2002 | -2.84% | -7.34% |
| 2003 | -2.36% | -7.43% |
| 2004 | -1.49% | -5.31% |
| 2005 | -1.38% | -4.44% |
| 2006 | -1.13% | -3.03% |
| 2007 | 0.06% | -2.9% |
| 2008 | -0.02% | -4.11% |
| 2009 | -1.72% | -9.69% |
| 2010 | -0.36% | -9.08% |
| 2011 | -0.1% | -8.99% |
| 2012 | -0.3% | -8.2% |
| 2013 | -0.82% | -7.61% |
| 2014 | -0.67% | -5.62% |
| 2015 | -2.5% | -3.68% |
| 2016 | -3.33% | -3.6% |
| 2017 | -3.34% | -3.1% |
| 2018 | -4.2% | -2.47% |
| 2019 | -6% | -3.04% |
| 2020 | -9.56% | -9.08% |
| 2021 | -5.9% | -6.13% |
| 2022 | -7.32% | -4.24% |
| 2023 | -6.71% | -2.26% |
| 2024 | -7.34% | -2.48% |
| 2025 | -8.57% | -2.85% |
Inflation comparison by year
Over the past 29 years, China has recorded an average annual inflation rate of 2.04%, compared with 0.43% in Japan. In 2024, inflation was 0% in China and 2.74% in Japan.
| Year | Inflation | ||
|---|---|---|---|
|
China
|
Japan
|
China
|
Japan
|
| 1996 | 8.3% | 0.14% | |
| 1997 | 2.8% | 1.75% | |
| 1998 | -0.8% | 0.66% | |
| 1999 | -1.4% | -0.34% | |
| 2000 | 0.4% | -0.68% | |
| 2001 | 0.7% | -0.74% | |
| 2002 | -0.8% | -0.92% | |
| 2003 | 1.1% | -0.26% | |
| 2004 | 3.9% | -0.009% | |
| 2005 | 1.8% | -0.28% | |
| 2006 | 1.5% | 0.25% | |
| 2007 | 4.7% | 0.06% | |
| 2008 | 5.9% | 1.38% | |
| 2009 | -0.7% | -1.35% | |
| 2010 | 3.3% | -0.73% | |
| 2011 | 5.4% | -0.27% | |
| 2012 | 2.6% | -0.04% | |
| 2013 | 2.7% | 0.34% | |
| 2014 | 2% | 2.76% | |
| 2015 | 1.5% | 0.8% | |
| 2016 | 2% | -0.13% | |
| 2017 | 1.6% | 0.48% | |
| 2018 | 2.1% | 0.99% | |
| 2019 | 2.9% | 0.47% | |
| 2020 | 2.5% | -0.02% | |
| 2021 | 0.9% | -0.23% | |
| 2022 | 2% | 2.5% | |
| 2023 | 0.2% | 3.27% | |
| 2024 | 0.2% | 2.74% | |
| 2025 | 0% | - | |
Top exports between countries
|
China
|
|
|---|---|
| Export category | Export value |
| Machinery & equipment | $74.1B |
| Textiles & consumer goods | $31.8B |
| Chemicals & pharma | $11.7B |
| Raw materials & minerals | $9.03B |
| Metals | $8.75B |
| Processed food, beverages & tobacco | $5.68B |
| Business & finance services | $4.99B |
| Miscellaneous | $3.24B |
| Transport & tourism services | $2.98B |
| Raw agricultural goods | $2.6B |
|
Japan
|
|
|---|---|
| Export category | Export value |
| Machinery & equipment | $70.3B |
| Chemicals & pharma | $21.7B |
| Metals | $11.4B |
| Miscellaneous | $8.19B |
| IT & IP services | $6.94B |
| Textiles & consumer goods | $5.65B |
| Transport & tourism services | $5.01B |
| Raw materials & minerals | $3.94B |
| Business & finance services | $2.76B |
| Precious metals & jewellery | $1.58B |
Balance of trade
|
China
|
Japan
|
|
|---|---|---|
Current account balance
|
$424B
2024 |
$194B
2024 |
| Current account balance ranking |
1/189
2024 |
3/189
2024 |
| Current account balance, % of GDP |
+2.26%
2024 |
+4.82%
2024 |
| Goods imports |
$2.64T
2024 |
$719B
2024 |
| Goods exports |
$3.41T
2024 |
$694B
2024 |
| Service imports |
$613B
2024 |
$246B
2024 |
| Service exports |
$384B
2024 |
$228B
2024 |
| Imports of goods and services, % of GDP |
17.2%
2024 |
23.3%
2023 |
| Exports of goods and services, % of GDP |
20%
2024 |
21.9%
2023 |
Economic freedom indices
The indices of economic freedom below are issued by the Heritage Foundation. Higher scores indicate stronger economic health.
|
China
|
Japan
|
|
|---|---|---|
| Economic freedom | 49 | 70.2 |
| Economic freedom ranking | 167/197 | 32/197 |
| Property rights | 46.7 | 95.1 |
| Government integrity | 40.4 | 82.8 |
| Judicial effectiveness | 37.4 | 96 |
| Tax burden | 71.6 | 62.5 |
| Government spending | 67.1 | 47.5 |
| Fiscal health | 11.1 | 41.6 |
| Business freedom | 67.7 | 78 |
| Labor freedom | 57.9 | 67.8 |
| Monetary freedom | 74.6 | 74.4 |
| Trade freedom | 74 | 76.2 |
| Investment freedom | 20 | 60 |
| Financial freedom | 20 | 60 |
Economic freedom by year comparison
The Economic Freedom Index for China is 49, ranking 167/197, compared to 70.2 for Japan, ranking 32/197. The chart below displays a comparison of annual changes in economic freedom indexes.
| Year | Economic freedom index | |
|---|---|---|
|
China
|
Japan
|
|
| 1995 | 52 | 75 |
| 1996 | 51.3 | 72.6 |
| 1997 | 51.7 | 70.3 |
| 1998 | 53.1 | 70.2 |
| 1999 | 54.8 | 69.1 |
| 2000 | 56.4 | 70.7 |
| 2001 | 52.6 | 70.9 |
| 2002 | 52.8 | 66.7 |
| 2003 | 52.6 | 67.6 |
| 2004 | 52.5 | 64.3 |
| 2005 | 53.7 | 67.3 |
| 2006 | 53.6 | 73.3 |
| 2007 | 52 | 72.7 |
| 2008 | 53.1 | 73 |
| 2009 | 53.2 | 72.8 |
| 2010 | 51 | 72.9 |
| 2011 | 52 | 72.8 |
| 2012 | 51.2 | 71.6 |
| 2013 | 51.9 | 71.8 |
| 2014 | 52.5 | 72.4 |
| 2015 | 52.7 | 73.3 |
| 2016 | 52 | 73.1 |
| 2017 | 57.4 | 69.6 |
| 2018 | 57.8 | 72.3 |
| 2019 | 58.4 | 72.1 |
| 2020 | 59.5 | 73.3 |
| 2021 | 58.4 | 74.1 |
| 2022 | 48 | 69.9 |
| 2023 | 48.3 | 69.3 |
| 2024 | 48.5 | 67.5 |
| 2025 | 49 | 70.2 |
More economic indicators
|
China
|
Japan
|
|
|---|---|---|
| Services, % of GDP |
56.7%
2024 |
69.8%
2023 |
| Industry, % of GDP |
36.5%
2024 |
28.6%
2023 |
| Agriculture, forestry, and fishing, % of GDP |
6.78%
2024 |
0.94%
2023 |
|
GNI, Atlas method
|
$19.3T
2024 |
$4.47T
2024 |
| GNI per capita, PPP |
$26,920
2024 |
$55,120
2024 |
| Total reserves including gold |
$3.46T
2024 |
$1.23T
2024 |
| Total reserves ranking |
1/177
2024 |
2/177
2024 |
|
Net foreign direct investment
|
$154B
2024 |
$191B
2024 |
|
Net inflows of foreign direct investment
|
$18.6B
2024 |
$17.2B
2024 |
|
Net outflows of foreign direct investment
|
$172B
2024 |
$208B
2024 |
|
Servicing debt to the IMF, % of GNI
|
2.13%
2023 |
n/a |
| Poverty at national poverty lines |
0%
2020 |
16.1%
2020 |
|
Gross capital formation, % of GDP
|
41.1%
2023 |
26.2%
2023 |
GDP per capita map
GDP per capita
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Economy comparisons
The current account balance is the sum of net trade in goods and services, net earnings from cross-border investments, and net transfer payments. It reflects a country's economic transactions with the rest of the world and is a fundamental component of the balance of payments. A surplus indicates that a country exports more than it imports, while a deficit shows the opposite.
Gross National Income (GNI) measures a country's total income. It encompasses income earned by residents, businesses, and foreign sources, defined as employee compensation and investment profits. GNI adds product taxes not included elsewhere and subtracts subsidies. It accounts for income from residents working abroad but excludes earnings from foreigners within the country.
A negative value for Net Foreign Direct Investment indicates a country is a net receiver of investments, as foreign inflows exceed outflows after Balance of Payments adjustments. A positive value indicates a net provider, with outflows exceeding inflows. Inflows are credits (increasing foreign claims on domestic assets), while outflows are debits (increasing domestic assets abroad).
Foreign direct investment (FDI, net inflows) shows how much capital foreign investors bring into a country after accounting for any funds that flow back in the opposite direction. It represents the net value of overseas companies establishing, expanding, or financing businesses in the reporting country. A positive number means more capital entered the country than was withdrawn, while a negative number means foreign investors pulled out more than they invested.
Foreign direct investment (FDI, net outflows) shows how much capital residents of a country invest abroad after accounting for any funds that flow back in the opposite direction. It represents the net value of domestic companies establishing, expanding, or financing businesses in other countries. A positive number means more capital was invested abroad than withdrawn, while a negative number means residents pulled back more than they invested.
Principal and interest payments to the IMF in currency, goods, or services on long-term debt expressed as a share of GNI.
Formerly gross domestic investment, gross capital formation measures the share of a country’s economic output invested in fixed assets, including buildings, machinery, and infrastructure. It indicates how much of the economy is devoted to building productive capacity.