Ever since the reform and opening up in China, people in Foshan have been working actively with good reputation. They took the opportunity of the time to think hard, to act positively and finally made Foshan the most important manufacturing base of the country. In 2014, the city has achieved 760.3 billion yuan of gross product, with a increase of 8.6 %. The gross industrial output value has reached 2002.1 billion yuan. According to the Blue Book of Urban Competitiveness, released by the Chinese Academy of Social Sciences, Foshan citys comprehensive competitiveness ranked eighth among the cities cross straits. Foshan even came seventh at the highest as the best business cities in mainland China in accordance with the Chinese version of Forbes.

Manufacturing sector in Foshan is famous home and aboard. Machinery and equipment, home appliances, ceramics, metal material processing and products, textiles and clothing, electronic information, food and beverage, fine chemical and pharmaceutical, Home Furnishing products, all of these are the dominant industries in Foshan. Moreover, industries such as optoelectronics, environmental protection, new materials, new medicine, new energy vehicles and other emerging industries are developing rapidly and the modern industrial system with good supporting capacity  has been initially established.

The private enterprises in Foshan are the most developed in the country. Private enterprises has boosted the fast, steady and healthy economic development of Foshan. In 2014, the gross value of the private industry above the city scale has reached 1308.8 billion yuan, which is about 11.4% increase. the gross production value of the private industry accounts for 69.6 % of all the industries above the city scale while contributing 79.8 % of the manufacturing growth. At present, there are 1.45 million private enterprises, 87.8 % of all the enterprises. Midea, Galanz, Vanward, CHIGO, Country Garden are the most notable ones.

Since 2015, Foshan has been following the trend of information economy to fully implement the internet project. The Internet Exhibition is to be held to make Foshan as one of the the internet innovation pilot districts.