China has big ambitions. We got to know the new five-year plan
China has released a draft of its new five-year plan, which it will set out direction of the country’s development in 2026-2030. The document is to be formally approved during the next session of the National People’s Congress scheduled for March 5-12, 2026. The project clearly shows how Beijing intends to respond to growing technological competition with the United States.
Rare earth minerals will continue to be a key bargaining chip
The document emphasizes that the global balance of power is undergoing profound changes. According to the authorities of the Middle Kingdom geopolitical conflicts are becoming more frequentproblems related to international management are increasing, and a security issues are becoming more important. As a result, China wants to strengthen its economic and technological resilience.
One of the key elements of the plan is to increase the security of supply chains. Beijing intends to create a more extensive system for responding to potential disruptions and take advantage of its advantages in the production of rare earth metals. These raw materials are essential in many advanced technologies, including the production of semiconductors.
This is especially important in the context of… Washington blocks the sale of the latest technologies to China, such as advanced AI systems from NVIDIA or lithography machines produced by ASML. At the same time, Beijing has introduced its own restrictions on the export of rare earth elements, requiring special licenses.
The future is to be humanoid robots based on AI
The new plan also assumes a significant increase in investment in research and development. The authorities want spending on domestic innovation to grow by at least 7% annually. Although this goal may seem ambitious, it is in fact a continuation of the assumptions of the previous five-year plan, which, according to the government, has already brought visible results.
The document also points to the need to take extraordinary actions in strategic sectors of the economy. These included, among others: semiconductors and advanced industrial machines. Beijing also wants to focus heavily on development humanoid robots based on artificial intelligenceemphasizing the integration of advanced software with robot control systems.
The development of education is also to be an important element. The plan announces the creation of hundreds of schools and vocational institutionswhich will prepare employees to work in strategic sectors, such as artificial intelligence or advanced industrial technologies.
