China has unveiled ambitious plans to strengthen its domestic market as the cornerstone of economic growth over the next five years, with National Development and Reform Commission (NDRC) head Zheng Shanjie declaring internal demand a 'strategic priority' for national development.
Building Economic Resilience
Speaking at the fourth plenary session of the 20th Central Committee of the Communist Party of China (CPC), Zheng emphasized that 'markets are the world's most scarce resource' while outlining measures to streamline market access. The updated negative list will reduce restricted fields from 328 to 106 across 21 industries by 2025.
Unified National Market Vision
The 15th Five-Year Plan recommendations call for dismantling local protectionism and standardizing market rules nationwide. Key strategies include:
Eliminating market segmentation
Strengthening regulatory enforcement
Addressing excessive competition through coordinated policies
Consumer-Centric Growth
Plans to boost spending include upgrading commodity markets and expanding service sector opportunities. Government investments will prioritize livelihood improvements, with increased funding for healthcare, education, and social welfare programs.
Analysts suggest these measures aim to position China's domestic market as both an economic stabilizer and innovation driver as global trade uncertainties persist.
