China's 15th Five-Year Plan (2026-2030) will prioritize innovation, domestic consumption, industrial upgrading, green energy, and further opening up to the world, according to speakers at the World Economic Forum's 17th Annual Meeting of the New Champions in Dalian. The plan is expected to provide policy direction for businesses, investors, and global partners as China navigates technological changes, demographic shifts, and evolving global supply chains.
Key drivers: high-quality growth, reform, innovation
Guo Lanfeng, President of the China Society of Economic Reform, said China remains focused on economic development, with high-quality growth, reform, and innovation as key drivers. He emphasized the need to strengthen the foundation of economic growth while addressing demographic changes and adapting to an increasingly complex global environment.
Global significance of the plan
Adam Tooze, Director of the European Institute at Columbia University, highlighted the global importance of the plan: "Here we are in 2026 discussing the 15th Five-Year Plan of the People's Republic of China - and that is not how many of us expected the 21st century to work out." Tooze added, "I could not recall a five-year plan watched as closely as this one." He noted that China's plans have evolved into important governance tools, with its industrial growth and export capabilities closely tracked worldwide.
Shift from investment-led to high-quality development
Yuen Yuen Ang, Alfred Chandler Chair of Political Economy at Johns Hopkins University, said the 14th and 15th Five-Year Plans represent China's shift from an investment- and export-led growth model to one centered on high-quality development. She explained that the country is focusing on strengthening innovation while ensuring it creates jobs, supports commercialization, and boosts domestic consumption.
Boosting domestic consumption
Speaking on domestic demand, Guo said higher-quality employment, stronger social security, increased household incomes, and a better consumer environment are essential to boost spending. "If we really want to stimulate household consumption, we first need to ensure people have money to spend," Guo stated.
Green transition: market-driven expansion
On the green transition, Wu Zuyu, Chairman of HiTHIUM, said the new energy storage sector is moving from policy-driven growth to market-driven expansion. He noted that declining costs of solar, wind, and energy storage technologies will make green power more competitive over the next five years while improving energy security. Wu emphasized that companies with competitive advantages should build local operations and work closely with international partners in overseas expansion, stating, "Cooperation holds the key."
