A bird's-eye view of China's bustling economy

China, the world's second-largest economy, is rich in natural resources and one of the largest producers of grain. Several million well-educated university graduates enter the Chinese labor market every year. Above, numerous trains are ready to depart Nanjing South Railway Station, around 300 kilometers (186 miles) from the metropolis of Shanghai.

People go about their daily errands at a market in Shenyang, in China's northeastern province of Liaoning. In recent months, weakening purchasing power in China has led to deflation, which means falling or stagnating prices for goods and services.

In the region near the megacity of Chongqing, on the banks of the mighty Yangtze River, the harvest season begins in late summer. A farmer spreads freshly harvested corn and chilies in the sun to dry. He runs a rake through the yellow and red fields of color at his feet.

The Tengger Desert Solar Park is located in the northern region of Ningxia, an autonomous region of the Hui people, who are predominantly Muslim. Solar panels are lined up as far as the eye can see. The expansion of renewable energy could reduce the use of coal-fired power plants in the long term. China currently produces the largest amount of climate-damaging carbon dioxide (CO2) in the world.

Soy sauce, a must in East Asian cuisine, is made in a factory in the village of Rugao. Using long poles, employees stir the mass of fermented soybeans in large, gray tubs. The fermentation process takes up to six months.

From the air, the cattle market in Xinjiang looks like a hidden object picture. The Xinjiang Autonomous Region, in western China, is predominantly inhabited by Uyghurs, Han Chinese and Mongols. For years, China has been accused of systematically oppressing the Uyghurs and other Muslim minorities in Xinjiang, including through forced labor.

Workers in China's megacity of Chongqing stack ready-to-sell packaged chili peppers in long, bright red rows. Chili peppers are an integral part of many East Asian dishes and are used in millions of kitchens every day.

China's rapid economic rise has also taken place at the expense of nature and the environment. From the air, the abandoned and scrap-ready vehicles in Nanjing look like toy cars; up close, they are tons of old metal and scrap. An action plan concluded in April 2024 laid out a future German-Chinese dialogue to discuss, among other things, the reuse of metals.