Innovation key in pursuit of high-quality development

China is committed to pushing forward its high-quality development, with a focus on economic structural optimization and quality enhancement as outlined in the country's new five-year plan, the nation's top economic regulator said on Saturday.

Zheng Bei, deputy head of the National Development and Reform Commission, made the remarks at a news conference in Beijing while elaborating on the key points of the draft outline of the 15th Five-Year Plan (2026-30) for national economic and social development.

Highlighting the strong focus on high-quality development, Zheng said the draft outline describes the GDP growth target set for the next five years as staying "within a reasonable range, with annual adjustments based on circumstances".

This target is designed to steer all stakeholders toward pursuing tangible growth, thereby leaving necessary policy space for shifting the growth model, making structural adjustments and deepening reforms, she said.

As a pivotal step in China's pursuit of high-quality growth, the development of new quality productive forces is prioritized in the draft outline, with policymakers emphasizing the integration of technological and industrial innovation.

Bai Jingyu, director of the NDRC's department of innovation and high-tech development, said the country will strengthen fundamental research and adopt a strategic, forward-thinking and systematic paradigm.

"We will enhance the involvement of enterprises in national major technological innovation decisions, focusing on the key common technological needs of businesses in national science and technology programs," Bai said, underscoring the efforts to solidify the central role of enterprises in technological innovation.

Against the backdrop of an accelerating technological revolution and industrial transformation, the emergence of new technologies, industries and business models presents China with "unprecedented opportunities" for advancing its modernization drive, Bai added.

According to the draft outline, authorities will fully implement the "AI Plus" initiative, fostering the deep integration of artificial intelligence with scientific innovation, industrial development, culture, public welfare and social governance. The goal is to "seize the commanding heights of AI industrial applications" and comprehensively "empower a wide range of sectors", it said.

Pan Jiaofeng, a deputy to the National People's Congress, China's top legislature, and president of the Chinese Academy of Sciences' Institutes of Science and Development, said the rise of emerging sectors has given China significant global advantages. "We've seen the booming development of the 'new trio' — electric vehicles, lithium-ion batteries and photovoltaic products. In the next five years, another 'new trio' is expected to emerge," he said.

Yuan Da, secretary-general of the NDRC, said that strengthening the domestic market will be among priorities, with policies aimed at expanding domestic demand, optimizing supply and streamlining domestic circulation. He highlighted the importance of improving and expanding the service sector, refining the policy support system and addressing weak points in the productive services industry.

Carl Fey, a professor of strategy at BI Norwegian Business School in Oslo, Norway, said that China has "room to increase domestic consumption, because Chinese people save a larger percentage of their income than people in many other countries".