China’s first half of the year demonstrates why I often claim the country achieves more in a week than the West does in a year. From groundbreaking medical advances to major technological and economic milestones, China’s progress is both rapid and profound.
This period saw historic developments such as a new cancer treatment, unprecedented growth in renewable energy, and pioneering achievements in science and technology. Despite these remarkable feats, the global reaction remains muted compared to similar breakthroughs in the West. As China continues to lead in various sectors, its accomplishments this year further underscore the nation’s accelerating trajectory.
I often claim that China gets more done in a week than the West in a year and this half-year report supports that. Our media would celebrate even one of these breakthroughs – curing cancer, saving the environment, disproving Einstein, becoming the world’s largest auto exporter and its happiest people – for years. But when it happens in China… crickets.
Breakthrough Achievements in China’s First Half of the Year
Health
- The biggest cancer news in decades: treatment drastically reduces metastasis, dissolves breast, prostate, and liver cancers.
- Researchers discovered a new organelle
- 12 new particle therapy centers under construction
- Shanghai: embryo-to-puberty disease screening
Technology
- Renewables provide 51% of national electricity generation
- Beijing holds the most nuclear fusion patents
- China installed 150GW of new PV capacity
- The world’s largest hybrid solar-hydro power plant began producing 2 billion kWh of electricity for 700,000 households.
- Peak emissions arriving 7 years early
- 115,000 tons of EV batteries recycled
- First hi-powered commercial Solid Oxide Fuel Cell rolls off the line
- orld’s first solid-state EV battery rolls off the line
- Xie Xiaoliang, Zhang Yonghao, hundreds of scientists move to China
- Chinese researchers..
- disproved Einstein’s photoelectric hypothesis
- converted seawater directly into H2 + O2 via PV
- pulled ahead of the US in 37 of 44 new technologies
- created a commercial nanolattice
- discovered water on the Moon
- mastered quantum precision measurement
- set the optical fiber transmission record
- built the country’s first flight simulator
- mastered CL-20, world’s deadliest explosive
- filed 54% of global semiconductor patents
- outranked Oxbridge, Caltech in high quality research
- overtook the US in Nature Index of Contributions to Research
- trounced the US in AI research output and quality
Economy
- Trade with 10 neighbors grew 77%
- China became the world’s largest vehicle exporter
- New energy exports rose 113%
- RMB exceeds Euro in trade use
- Taiwan GDP equals Shanghai’s
- China launches 80% of global IPOs
- UnionPay crushes Visa
- Couriers deliver 60 billionth parcel – 30 days earlier than last year
- Retail sales, services rise 12%
- Electricity consumption rises 7.4%
- Porsche China sales rose 21%
- 97% of foreign firms are happy in China
- 149th country joins the BRI
- Pensions rise for 19th consecutive year
- Urban salaries rose 6.7%
- CPI rises 0.1%
- Median Household Net Worth exceeds America’s, PPP.
Society
- Tibet gives 12 months paid maternity leave, awards 13 monks Geshe Lharampa degrees (PhD in Dharmic studies).
- Chinese are the world’s happiest people
- Xinjiang opened its 27th airport
- Chinese hold both men and women’s Chess World Championships
- Bank deposits hit record $40 trillion
