The 24 members of the body convened under the leadership of the general secretary of the Communist Party of China (CPC) and head of state, Xi Jinping, to emphasize the expectation that China will achieve its main economic and social goals by 2025 despite facing “difficulties,” as reported by the official news agency Xinhua.
This year concludes the 14th Five-Year Plan (2021-2025), which the Party has hailed as successful. “We have responded to various disruptions and challenges, with significant improvements seen in China’s ‘hard power’ in areas such as economy, science, technology, and defense, along with ‘soft power’ in culture, institutions, and diplomacy,” stated the communiqué.
Looking ahead to 2026, the CPC advocated for “better coordination between domestic economic policies and international trade conflicts,” referencing the ongoing trade war with the United States, currently halted for a year following an agreement reached in October.
The Politburo highlighted priorities for the upcoming year, including boosting “anticyclical adjustments,” improving the “effectiveness of macroeconomic policies,” encouraging “new growth drivers,” and focusing on “innovation-based development.”
China’s leadership reiterated the importance of strengthening domestic demand, still weakened by consumer uncertainty, as a primary growth driver, and reaffirmed its commitment to economic openness and building a “strong domestic market.”
The Politburo also called for greater integration of development and security, emphasizing risk prevention in strategic sectors, and focusing on stabilizing employment and market expectations.
The year 2026 will mark the onset of the 15th Five-Year Plan, which will prioritize technological self-sufficiency. Economic targets will continue to be guided by the principle of “progress with stability,” according to the document.
Amid recent intensification of the real estate crisis and heightened pressure on household incomes, the Party also underscored the need to promote “social harmony” through support measures for the most vulnerable populations. The communiqué specifically addresses issues such as delayed wages for migrant workers and unpaid debts to companies.
This month is expected to see the convening of the Central Economic Work Conference, an annual high-level meeting that outlines China’s macroeconomic guidelines for the following year.
However, specific targets for 2026, including GDP growth, deficit, inflation, and unemployment rates, will not be revealed until the annual session of the National People’s Congress, traditionally held at the beginning of March.
