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Guangdong experienced the largest population growth among China’s 31 provincial regions last year, highlighting a broader trend of migration toward major urban centers and economically stronger areas.
Seven regions reported an increase in their total resident populations for 2025: Guangdong, which gained 790,000 residents; Zhejiang; Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous Region; Hainan; Shanghai; the Tibet Autonomous Region; and Ningxia Hui Autonomous Region.
The population of China continues to shift from rural areas to cities, increasing the urbanization rate, according to Niu Fengrui, director of the Small and Medium-sized Cities Research Institute. Additionally, more people are settling in the economic zones of the Yangtze River Delta and Pearl River Delta.
Industrial development has also attracted residents to some central and western cities. Changsha, the capital of Hunan province, and Jinan, the capital of Shandong province, each saw an influx of over 100,000 residents, while Chengdu, Sichuan’s capital, experienced a population increase of over 60,000.
Despite some regions experiencing a decline in permanent residents, several areas still recorded positive net migration, meaning more people moved into these places than left. These regions included Fujian, Jiangsu, Hebei, Liaoning, Hubei, Chongqing, and Tianjin.
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