This year marks the beginning of the “fifty-fifty-fifty” period, which is more relevant for the next five years of economic and social development. At this critical juncture, how can high-quality development be anchored in the economic landscape? How can we be more dynamic and build strong domestic markets? Focusing on critical years, developing key ideas, this year's nation-wideTwoWhat hot topics are to be expected
Hot one:
Macro-policy orientations for 2026 will be clarified in government work reports published during the two sessions。
At the central economic work conference at the end of 2025, it was emphasized that economic potential must be fully realized, policy support and innovation must be maintained, both “live” and “good governance” must be achieved, investment in goods and people must be strongly combined, and external challenges must be addressed through hard work. The “five musts” point the way towards a new economic situation for the two national assemblys this year, and will also be a hot spot for both of them this year. At the same time, in the area of monetary policy, the central economic work conference proposed “the promotion of stable economic growth and a reasonable recovery of prices as important considerations in monetary policy” “the flexible and efficient application of a variety of policy instruments, such as the reduction of interest rates”。
The experts expressed the view that macroeconomic policies need to be modestly scaled up and combined to ensure that the economic performance in 2026 remains reasonable and solid as a basis for the start of the “155”。
Hot 2:
Keep it strongIncreased internal demand
The expansion of domestic demand was at the top of the economic agenda this year。
The 20-year report of the party calls for “enhancement of the fundamental role of economic development”, the decision of the ccp to further deepen reforms and advance china's modernization, adopted at the 20th and 3rd sessions of the party, proposes “improvement of the mechanism for expanding long-term effectiveness”, and the 20th and 4th sessions of the party propose “continue to expand domestic demand as a strategic base, to promote livelihood, promote investment in goods and invest in people” and “to expand effective investment”。
In 2025, the central economic work conference aimed at ensuring that the “155” had a good start and set eight priorities for economic work in 2026, of which “maintenance of domestic demand and building a strong domestic market” was at the forefront. Since the beginning of 2026, a new round of “compensatory” funds has been made available, and a series of “gold and silver” stimulus measures have been intensively put in place. A recent press conference organized by the press office of the state council had indicated that in 2026, the thrust of macroeconomic policy would be to create a strong domestic cycle that would expand domestic demand in all its dimensions. The relevant departments will work on the development of a programme for the implementation of an expanded domestic demand strategy for the period 2026-2030, aiming at a mutually reinforcing supply and demand cycle upgrading。
Experts stated that “breeding” and “investing in people” would be important enablers for expanding domestic demand and enhancing dynamism within the economy。
Hot three:
Focus on service consumption
Reclaiming as an important component of expanding domestic demand is expected to be the focus of attention at both national levels. The ministry of commerce has indicated that it will further implement a boosting initiative to create a brand “purchase in china” that will provide strong support for building a strong domestic market and promoting high-quality development. The department of commerce will work around three areas: policy, activities, and excellence。
It is a matter of concern that, from the perspective of the population, our country has great potential. At present, my country is not well motivated and there is still a gap in our population ratio compared to that of the developed countries, especially with regard to the underrepresentation of services。
In the view of experts, the rise in the population rate was significant, “not only for the effective expansion of the internal cycle, but also for a significant reduction in the dependence of economic growth on exports and the impact of external fluctuations on economic performance. In terms of industrial upgrading, scaling up implies a diversification of market demand, helping to induce firms to increase r & d inputs, promote technological innovation and product overlay, and meet differentiated demand, while economies of scale reduce the cost of industrial upgrading”。
In order to focus on the promotion of services, this year it will be promoting the implementation of the services empowerment initiative and the introduction of a series of gold-rich policies. At the same time, efforts will be made to empower the population。
Hot 4:
Maintaining innovation drive
The new scientific and technological revolution and industrial change are accelerating and are having an increasingly profound impact on industrial development, especially as the new generation of information technologies, as represented, has flourished, triggering profound changes in industrial development patterns, business patterns, etc。
As the core engine of the new technological revolution, this year's two-part national conference will remain a hot topic. In recent days, the state council has been conducting its eighteenth thematic study on the theme of deepening the expansion of the “+” and the full range of competencies. This is also the first subject study by the state council since 2026. This state council thematic study specifically referred to “strengthening governance”。
Industry believes that the black box properties of technology, the uncertainty of application and the diversity of industrial chains are becoming more prominent, posing management challenges to different organizational subjects, such as model development, system deployment, application operation and, at the same time, multiple identities. At present, there is a general lack of synergy between industry and core governance, and harmonization standards are not yet in place and synergy mechanisms still need to be developed。
Hot five:
Expanding high levels of public access
The two national conferences have always been an important window for world observation and understanding of china, and economic growth goals, reform initiatives and new approaches to openness, and china’s major powers’ diplomacy have been the focus of attention both at home and abroad. Over the past year, china has continued to expand its system-wide openness and optimize its people-to-people and visa policies, and issues such as “buy-in” in china and “travel-in-china” have continued to warm up on social platforms abroad, with latinbubu and so on becoming a new medium for the world to recognize china, a real, stereo china being rediscovered。
From a big, free commercial model of dolls around the globe to solar panels for the global south — china’s innovation is becoming a new window for the world to recognize china. Data indicate that over the past year, 8. 235 million foreign tourists entered china, an increase of 26. 4 per cent over the same period, and that more than 70 per cent of foreign visitors received visa-free access. As the “circle of friends” of waivers continues to expand, visa facilitation measures continue to be introduced, allowing more foreigners to come to china to “go and leave”。
Hot six:
Life issuesKeep warming
The issue of livelihood has always been the hotspot of the two national conferences, and every policy has its roots in the population。
In 2025, the central economic work conference stated that it was committed to the survival of the people and to working for the people. (b) implementation of the job enhancement initiative to stabilize the employment of key groups such as graduates of higher education and migrant workers and to encourage support for flexible employment and new forms of employment to participate in employee insurance. (c) promote the restructuring of educational resources by increasing the supply of general high school degrees and undergraduate enrolment in quality higher education. Optimizing centralized procurement of medicines and deepening the reform of the way health care is paid. The rehabilitation and care promotion project, the long-term care insurance system and the strengthening of care and support for groups in need. Promote active marriage culture and work to stabilize the size of the newly born population。
During the previous period, local meetings had been held to generate positive signals and policy initiatives around the equalization of public services, “one-size-fits-all” security and housing improvements, which had provided important references to institutional design at the national level。
According to experts, economic growth and improvements in livelihoods have always been mutually reinforcing in china's development process. Among the main indicators of economic and social development for the “1455” period, well-being accounts for more than one third. The year when the “155” begins will be a hot topic for the two national conferences, as well as for the promotion of high-quality development, while continuing to raise public awareness。
