Nighttime lights in Beijing, Tianjin and Hebei

NASA scientists recently released a series of nighttime photos of Earth that highlight China’s economic performance in different areas of the country. Central Chinese business districts such as Beijing, Tianjin, Shanghai and Zhuhai are distinctly visible in the pictures.

The photos recorded nighttime lights as an indicator of China’s economic status. Based on the photos, three U.S. economists concluded that the Chinese economy is performing better than official data indicates. The national data may be understating the growth rate of services and other new forms of business, which could explain the disparity, according to the economists.

Nighttime lights in Shanghai and the Yangtze River Delta

China’s service sector is experiencing explosive growth, thanks to policies that streamline administration. The country also encourages mass entrepreneurship and innovation, which attract people to work in the service sector. According to China's 2017 work report, the value created by the service sector rose to 51.6 percent of the GDP in 2016.