The 15th Five-Year Plan, officially the 15th Five-Year Plan for Economic and Social Development of the People's Republic of China, is a set of goals for national economic development. The plan covers the years from 2026 to 2030. It will be informed by the results of the fifth economic census.
A preliminary study for the plan by the National Development and Reform Commission took place on 17 and 18 December 2023. [1] [2] The fourth plenum, held on October 20 to 23, 2025, focused on assessing the previous 14th five-year plan and considered the proposed 15th five-year plan. [3] [4] [5] On 24 October 2025, Premier Li Qiang chaired a special meeting on the preparation of the outline of the 14th Five-Year plan, with Vice Premier Ding Xuexiang being present. [6] On 3 November 2025, CCP General Office Director Cai Qi published an opinion piece in the People's Daily , where he stressed the "extreme importance of exercising full and rigorous party self-governance to achieve the economic and social development goals of the 15th five-year plan period". [7]
The International Energy Agency has proposed that the 15th five-year plan should implement reforms of the Chinese energy market, including a unified national power market system, to better integrate wind and solar power. The proposed reforms aim to improve the ability to respond in real time to fluctuations in power demand, so that China can meet its goal of reaching peak carbon emissions before 2030. [8]
The 15-5 shares a similar goal with the 14-5: from rapid growth to a more sustainable, efficient, and balanced economy. More specifically, the plan addresses China's economic transformation (from one driven by investment and exports to one based on domestic consumption and innovation) through three policies. [9]
The first policy to transform China's economy is high-quality development. For Beijing, industries that can turn the ‘Made in China’ image from low-quality to high-quality goods are advocated. Favorable policies, including tax incentives, R&D subsidies, and financial support, have supported sectors such as the digital economy, green technology, and AI. [10]
The second policy is self-reliance. This policy has proven successful in China, with its green technologies such as solar power and electric vehicles, and its dominance of rare-earth supply chains. Now, Beijing aims to extend this policy to advanced semiconductors, biotechnology, and quantum technology. [11]
Lastly, industrial resilience is another key policy that has shown up in China's 15–5. China's industrial capabilities have driven significant economic growth, but challenges have risen alongside the success they bring. The central committee has stated that China must “maintain a reasonable proportion of manufacturing” and support “optimizing and upgrading traditional industries”. Furthermore, President Xi himself stated publicly, “real economy cannot be lost”. Hinting China's economic transformation will not completely disregard its manufacturing sector, instead leaving an appropriate portion to withstand crises. [12]
The transition from the 14–5 to the 15-5 does not represent a structural shift in priorities, but rather a strategic evolution. The agenda remains consistent: achieving economic transformation while ensuring development. The 15-5 differ only in specific sectoral emphasis. While the 14-5 prioritized establishing dominance in renewable technologies like solar and hydropower, sectors where China is the global leader. Moreover, as scholar Elizabeth Economy notes, China's technological influence has also grown in industries such as ports, railways, e-payment systems, and satellites. Beijing's intent with the 15-5 is to replicate this success. The 15-5 pivots China's focus toward industries where it still lags and aims to expand its technological competitiveness into new sectors, such as AI, advanced semiconductors, and biotechnology. [13]