China Unveils Ambitious 15th Five-Year Plan Focusing on Technological Self-Reliance

In late October 2025, the Communist Party of China (CPC) unveiled its 15th Five-Year Plan (2026–2030), emphasizing "technological self-reliance and self-strengthening" as central objectives. This strategic shift aims to bolster China's position in the global technology landscape and reduce dependence on foreign innovations.

The 15th Five-Year Plan outlines several key objectives:

• Advancing High-Quality Development: The plan seeks to achieve significant progress in high-quality development, focusing on sustainable and balanced economic growth.

• Enhancing Scientific and Technological Self-Reliance: A major goal is to substantially improve China's scientific and technological self-reliance and strength, aiming for breakthroughs in core technologies within key fields.

• Deepening Comprehensive Reforms: The plan aims to make fresh breakthroughs in further deepening reform comprehensively, addressing structural and systemic issues to foster a more efficient and open economy.

These objectives reflect China's ambition to transition from an export-driven economy to one anchored in domestic consumption and high-quality manufacturing. The plan also emphasizes the development of strategic and emerging industry clusters, including new energy, new materials, aerospace, and the low-altitude economy. Additionally, it aims to foster future industries such as quantum technology, biomanufacturing, hydrogen energy, fusion energy, brain-computer interfaces, embodied intelligence, and sixth-generation mobile communications.

The emphasis on technological self-reliance is seen as a response to external pressures, including export controls from Western countries. By focusing on indigenous innovation, China aims to mitigate vulnerabilities in its supply chains and enhance its position in the global tech landscape.

Minister of Science and Technology Yin Hejun highlighted the importance of original innovation and breakthroughs in core technologies, emphasizing the need to improve the national innovation system and focus on key areas such as integrated circuits and high-end instruments.

Historically, China's Five-Year Plans have addressed technological development, but the explicit focus on self-reliance and self-strengthening in the 15th Plan marks a strategic pivot towards reducing foreign dependencies and fostering indigenous innovation.

This comprehensive focus on technological self-reliance signifies a pivotal moment in China's development strategy, with far-reaching implications for global technology and economic landscapes.