China Fifteenth Five-Year Plan development outlines

Chinese officials have begun outlining development goals for the upcoming “Fifteenth Five-Year Plan,” focusing on social governance, urban modernization, and market regulation.

Initial plans emphasize democratic and social governance through the National People's Congress and the Chinese People's Political Consultative Conference. Legislative priorities include education, healthcare, and social security, alongside the management of “new employment groups” such as delivery riders and ride-hailing drivers to ensure labor rights and fair platform algorithms. Additionally, over 1 billion voters are expected to participate in direct elections for county and township-level deputies.

Subsequent outlines detail urban renewal and market reform initiatives. The Ministry of Housing and Urban-Rural Development intends to prioritize high-quality urban renewal, including the renovation of residential communities and the transformation of industrial zones. Regarding market regulation, the State Administration for Market Regulation aims to shift competition toward quality-driven growth by revising the “Price Law,” cracking down on malicious low-price competition, and strengthening supervision of internet platform pricing and industrial products.

Recent developments indicate a heightened focus on food security and essential services. Despite global volatility, officials report that national grain production reached 715 million tons in 2025. Premier Li Qiang has emphasized ensuring stable supplies through technological innovation, black soil protection, and modernized irrigation.

Furthermore, market regulators plan to strengthen anti-monopoly enforcement in essential livelihood sectors, including water, electricity, gas, and heating. To better regulate the platform economy, authorities intend to amend the “E-commerce Law,” introducing stricter penalties such as proportional fines and business suspensions to protect consumer rights and curb “involutionary” competition.