Opinion: China’s Economic Blueprint for 2026 ― Resilience and Patience

[para. 1] As 2026 arrives, reflections on 2025 center around the theme of “Resilience and Patience,” as highlighted at the 16th Caixin Summit. This theme encapsulates both a summary of the past year and a vision for the future, encouraging a mindset that blends perseverance with long-term optimism for ongoing development.

[para. 2] In the face of both domestic and international challenges throughout 2025, China reached its primary economic and social goals. The aggregate economy ascended to a new level; the business environment improved, and a continual stream of technological innovations characterized the year. Remarkably, foreign trade also grew. These achievements stand as evidence of China’s economic resilience. The Central Economic Work Conference’s assessment that China’s fundamental economic trend remains positive—and that its core conditions for growth are unchanged—helped to strengthen confidence and provide an optimistic outlook for continued recovery and development.

[para. 3] An essential dynamic involves clarifying the relationship between market forces and government intervention. For the upcoming “15th Five-Year Plan,” the government has designated high-quality development as the guiding theme, with reform and innovation serving as the main drivers, and enhancing people’s well-being as the core goal. Adhering to these key elements is fundamental for building greater resilience and patience in the economy.

[para. 4] The true sources of resilience and patience are found among China’s hundreds of millions of market players. The stability and continuous progress of the Chinese economy rests on the determined efforts of businesses and entrepreneurs. Since reform and opening up, these entities have matured, providing vitality and energy, and have been instrumental in China’s rise to the world’s second-largest economy. Their collective efforts form the bedrock of China’s economic structure.

[para. 5] In a market economy, businesses must operate independently and accept responsibility for their successes or failures. In 2025, two major features of Chinese companies were their zeal for technological innovation and a growing determination to “go global.” High-tech firms, such as DeepSeek and XPeng’s humanoid robotics division, surged forward—products of the synergy between technology and the market. The shift from “Made in China” to “Created in China” gained broader international respect.

[para. 6] DeepSeek’s open-source AI model spurred a competitive reaction among major technology firms like Tencent and Alibaba, pushing the country’s IT sector toward rapid adaptation and deployment of large-scale AI models. Concurrently, domestic chipmakers achieved major breakthroughs. Companies such as Cambricon, Huawei, Baidu’s Kunlun Xin, Alibaba’s T-Head, Moore Threads, and MetaX all began mass-producing AI semiconductors and securing significant orders.

[para. 7] Humanoid robotics became a symbol of domestic innovation, with vibrant developments ranging from Unitree’s performances at high-profile events to XPeng’s widely discussed robots. An incident where XPeng had to publicly dismantle a robot to prove it wasn’t a human actor reflected the sector’s rapid advancement and the public’s keen interest.

[para. 8] Despite global complexities, Chinese enterprises expanded their global footprint in 2025, underpinning the manufacturing sector’s resilience. Their activities in Southeast Asia, Africa, and Latin America made supply chains more robust and diversified, enhancing both domestic and international economic flows.

[para. 9] At the heart of economic development is improving people’s lives. Economic growth must translate into higher living standards, improved employment and incomes, and stronger social guarantees like rule of law and fairness. Ensuring that people tangibly benefit from progress is crucial to deepening resilience and patience throughout society.

[para. 10] The state retains a vital role beyond macro-policy. By deepening reform, expanding openness, fostering investment and consumption, reducing risks, and improving governance, the government must safeguard and elevate people’s livelihoods. This requires investing not just in physical infrastructure, but in people, creating a vibrant yet regulated market environment.

[para. 11] Looking ahead to the “15th Five-Year Plan” period in 2026, China faces both opportunities and challenges, as it has for over 40 years. Navigating these effectively will further consolidate the nation’s capacity for resilience and patience, reinforcing the enduring adaptability of its economy and society.