Guangzhou Academy of Social Sciences (GASS) released Guangzhou Economic Blue Book 2012 on June 17, predicting a GDP growth of around 10.5 percent in 2012, lower than the goal of 11 percent GDP growth proposed in the Government's Work Report delivered at the beginning of 2012. Experts argue that the slowdown in GDP growth is not unique to Guangzhou in the context of tight international and internal economic development environments.

The General Report in the economic blue book was completed under various efforts led by Guangzhou Macroeconomic Analysis and Forecasting Group. Forecasted under different circumstances in 2012, the optimistic outcome is an 11 percent GDP growth in Guangzhou, the goal set at the beginning of 2012; the moderate outcome is a 10.5 percent growth; and the pessimistic outcome is only a 10 percent growth. Therefore, it is predicted that Guangzhou will see an around 10.5 percent GDP growth in 2012.