According to Caixin, a number of Chinese provinces fell short of their growth targets in 2025. Guangdong, the country's largest provincial economy, expanded by 3.9 percent, while Jiangsu narrowed the gap with a stronger 5.3 percent growth. Other major provinces, including Shandong and Zhejiang, grew by 5.5 percent or more. These numbers point to a deeper shift. As China moves into a new stage of development, growth rates alone no longer tell the full story. Why has "how fast" the economy grows become less important than "how well" it grows?