China after decades of continuous development and several generations of hard work, in many areas have made very significant achievements, the economy is to realize the take-off, and became the world's second largest economy. And our economy, which is maintaining a medium-high speed development trend year after year, has also made a great contribution to the growth of the world economy.
All the things themselves are in the good side of the development, but in the beginning of this year the sudden new crown epidemic, broke this good situation. Our country had to stop all the work to cope with and contain the development of the new crown epidemic, all over the country are closed, quarantine. For a time, the country's factories and stores, as well as corporate markets and so on, came to a near standstill, which had an impact on economic growth.
That was arguably the most difficult time of the year, with everyone quarantining themselves at home to prevent a new outbreak, and the country making an unprecedented effort to mobilize a large number of health care workers and volunteers from all over the country, as well as medical equipment, to go to the worst areas of the epidemic to fight it. There is no doubt that we have made too much effort and sacrifice to overcome the epidemic. Due to the impact of the new crown epidemic, our economy showed negative growth in the first quarter.
But after more than two months, the epidemic was quickly brought under control thanks to our effective epidemic prevention and control methods. Factories, businesses and entertainment venues across the country gradually resumed operations, and in the second quarter, economic growth had improved dramatically compared with the first quarter, with people's lives gradually returning to normal.
Till now, when almost all countries are affected by the new crown epidemic at the same time, China is the first to get out of the quagmire of the epidemic, the economy also returned to the medium-high growth trend.
Overall, the new crown epidemic has had some impact on our economy, but it has not touched the root of the problem. Facts have proved that the more than two months of strict epidemic prevention and control approach is also very worthwhile, because no matter what time, the people's life safety is always in the first place. It is also because of the strict approach to prevention and control at that time, we can have a normal life without worry now.