Author: Li Xiuzhong

　　As of press time, all provinces except Liaoning, Jilin, Xinjiang and Tibet have released economic data for the first quarter of this year.

Jiangxi, Hubei, Fujian and Guizhou ranked the top four in terms of national economic growth with 6.9%, 6.7%, 6.7% and 6.6% respectively.

　　Overall, the economic operation of most provinces achieved a smooth start in the first quarter, but the outbreak of the epidemic since March has increased the impact on the economy, which has become a current challenge.

The impact of the epidemic is obvious

　　On April 25, Jiangsu, Zhejiang and Gansu released their first-quarter economic data. So far, 27 provinces across the country have released their first-quarter economic data.

Among the 27 provinces, only 5 provinces were lower than the national average economic growth level (4.8%), namely Henan, Jiangsu, Guangdong, Shanghai and Tianjin, which increased by 4.7%, 4.6%, 3.3%, 3.1% and 0.1% respectively. .

　　The frequent occurrence of the epidemic is an important factor affecting the economic situation in the first quarter.

Yi Xiaoguang, president of the Chongqing Institute of Comprehensive Economics, told Yicai that the forecast on the economic situation at the beginning of this year emphasized three pressures. Later, changes in the situation in Russia and Ukraine and the recurrence of the epidemic had a certain impact on the economy.

　　The above-mentioned provinces whose economic growth rate in the first quarter was lower than the national growth rate were all hit by the epidemic in the first quarter. Even if some areas successfully controlled the epidemic in a short period of time, their data also showed the obvious impact of the epidemic on the economy.

　　Zeng Junlin, chief economist of the Sichuan Provincial Bureau of Statistics, said at the first-quarter economic data conference in Sichuan Province that the outbreak of multiple, wide-ranging, and frequent epidemics has had the greatest impact on the service industry and has the most prominent impact, which directly led to a slower-than-expected recovery of the service industry.

　　Chengdu, the capital of Sichuan Province, was hit by two rounds of the epidemic in the first quarter, which is reflected in the data: Sichuan’s GDP increased by 5.3% in the first quarter, and the total retail sales of consumer goods was 591.7 billion yuan, a year-on-year increase of 5.1%; Chengdu’s GDP increased by 5.0% in the first quarter. %, and the total retail sales of social consumer goods reached 228.01 billion yuan, a year-on-year increase of 3.1%.

　　Zeng Junlin said that in the first quarter, the growth rate of Sichuan's service industry was 4.8%, which was lower than the GDP growth rate, significantly lower than the average level of the previous two years by 2.1 percentage points, and much lower than the pre-epidemic level of 3.2 percentage points in 2019.

The size of the service industry has been increasing, accounting for more than half of GDP. Therefore, the impact of the service industry on the entire economy is also very obvious.

　　Not only that, the epidemic has also affected areas where tourism consumption is the mainstay.

　　In 2021, Hainan ranks second in the country with a GDP growth rate of 11.2%, second only to Hubei (12.9%). Compared with 2019, the two-year average growth rate is 7.3%, ranking first in the country.

Under the national strategic opportunity, Hainan began to rise.

However, although Hainan's economy started smoothly in the first quarter of this year, its growth rate declined, ranking fifth in the country with a growth rate of 6%.

　　Wang Yu, deputy director of the Hainan Provincial Bureau of Statistics, said that the sudden epidemic did have a certain impact on the economic operation of Hainan Province, mainly affecting the consumer market in March.

　　In the first quarter, fixed asset investment in Hainan Province increased by 16.3%, which was 7.5 percentage points faster than the average growth rate of the two-year period in the same period of the previous year; the added value of industrial enterprises above designated size increased by 7.6%, which was 4.7 percentage points faster than the average growth rate of the two-year period in the same period of the previous year.

From January to February, the total retail sales of consumer goods in Hainan increased by 16.7% year-on-year, but in March, due to the impact of the epidemic on the tourism and consumer markets, the growth rate of the total retail sales of consumer goods dropped to 4.8%.

　　Lin Jingyun, director of the trade and economic division of the Hainan Provincial Bureau of Statistics, said that due to the local epidemic in Hainan in March, the number of tourists was greatly reduced, and residents’ travel and consumption were restricted. As a result, the retail sales of goods in March fell by 21.6% year-on-year.

　　However, the energy province has continued to recover since last year and is offsetting the impact of the epidemic.

　　The first-quarter GDP of Shanxi, a major coal province, increased by 6.5%, ranking among the top in the country.

Among them, Shanxi's industrial production is growing better.

In the first quarter, the added value of industries above designated size in the province increased by 11.0%, 4.5 percentage points higher than the national level.

From the perspective of coal and non-coal, the coal industry increased by 11.4%, and the non-coal industry increased by 10.6%.

　　Although Xi'an was affected by the epidemic, Shaanxi's GDP grew by 5.1% in the first quarter.

In the first quarter, the added value of industries above designated size in Shaanxi Province increased by 9.1% year-on-year.

Among the three categories, the above-scale mining and manufacturing industries increased by 11.8% and 9.6% year-on-year respectively.

Among them, the coal mining and washing industry increased by 15.2%.

Bailouts need to be accelerated

　　Among the 27 provinces, Jiangxi leads the country with a growth rate of 6.9%.

　　Data show that in the first quarter, fixed asset investment in Jiangxi Province increased by 15.6% year-on-year, 6.3 percentage points higher than the national average; the total retail sales of consumer goods was 290.73 billion yuan, an increase of 8.9% year-on-year, 5.6 percentage points higher than the national average; The total export value was 139.39 billion yuan, a year-on-year increase of 29.0%, 18.3 percentage points higher than the national average.

　　Investment, consumption and exports are the troikas that drive economic growth. These three data in Jiangxi are more eye-catching, especially the growth rate of total retail sales of social consumer goods. Due to the impact of the epidemic, the growth rate of this indicator in most provinces is lower than 5%. Some are even lower than 3%.

　　Xiao Zhiying, deputy director of the Anhui Provincial Bureau of Statistics, said that the impact of the recent outbreak of the epidemic on the supply of raw materials and logistics has gradually been transmitted to the production side, and the consumption of contact and agglomerated service industries has also been restricted, and industries such as accommodation, catering, cultural tourism, and transportation are facing It must be difficult. Judging from the economic data in March, the growth rate of some industry indicators has slowed down, and the downward pressure on the economy has increased.

　　On April 11, Wang Yongxin, deputy director of the Chengdu Development and Reform Commission, stated at a press conference that the imported cases from outside the province since March 30 have spread rapidly, with a short intergenerational time, and the location of the stay, the people involved, and the businesses affected are more than the "2.20 epidemic." "More, the operating pressure of market players has become more prominent, and it is urgent to introduce new policies and measures to help and benefit enterprises to support market players to cope with the impact, overcome difficulties together, and ensure the stable operation of the economy.

　　Therefore, the Chengdu Municipal Government issued the "Policies and Measures to Support the Healthy Development of Market Entities and Promote Stable Economic Growth".

The document supports the healthy development of market entities in terms of reducing production and operation costs and strengthening factor guarantees.

　　In addition, the contribution rate of consumption to GDP growth has increased significantly, and the impact of the slowdown in consumption growth on the economy has continued to expand.

　　Yi Xiaoguang said that consumption requires scenes. Although online consumption is possible, some real scenes are necessary.

Therefore, it is necessary to strike a balance between epidemic prevention and control and normal work and life, and make more scientific prevention and control.

In addition, the policy should also focus on how to enhance consumption capacity, guide good expectations, and make residents willing to consume and dare to consume, so as to achieve the goal of promoting consumption.

　　At present, all localities are promoting the recovery and improvement of consumption in an orderly manner.

On April 21, the executive meeting of the Chengdu Municipal Government proposed to promote the recovery of collective consumption in an orderly manner, guide cultural and tourism enterprises to innovate tourism products, and on the premise of strictly implementing epidemic prevention and control measures, promote wholesale and retail, accommodation, catering, Service industries such as trade and exhibitions have resumed development, and a new round of consumer coupon promotions has been actively carried out.

　　Zeng Junlin also said that multiple measures should be taken to promote consumption.

Fully implement the policies and measures of the central and provincial party committees on promoting consumption, optimize the consumption environment, expand consumption momentum, and activate consumption demand.

At the same time, precise assistance to stabilize production.

We will ensure the supply and price of bulk commodities and core parts and components, help advantageous industries and key enterprises maintain stable production orders, accelerate the construction of major projects, and promote the steady recovery of the daily and contact service industries.

　　Xinhua News Agency reported on April 25 that the General Office of the State Council recently issued the "Opinions on Further Unleashing Consumption Potential and Promoting the Sustained Recovery of Consumption" (hereinafter referred to as the "Opinions"), pointing out that consumption is the final demand and a key link and important factor in smoothing the domestic cycle. The engine has a lasting driving force for the economy and is related to ensuring and improving people's livelihood.

　　The "Opinions" put forward twenty key measures in five areas in accordance with the requirements of combining goal orientation and problem orientation, and taking into account both short-term support and medium- and long-term promotion.

Including responding to the impact of the epidemic, promoting the orderly recovery and development of consumption; comprehensively innovating and improving quality, focusing on stabilizing the basic consumption of consumption; improving the support system, and continuously enhancing the comprehensive capacity of consumption development; continuing to deepen reforms, and making every effort to create a safe, secure, and honest consumption environment; Strengthening safeguard measures to further consolidate the foundation for high-quality development of consumption.