Future industries top priority in 2026

China's top industry regulator said it will step up efforts to foster emerging and future industries while consolidating the steady advancement of its industrial economy for 2026.

The year 2026 will be crucial for achieving a strong start to the country's 15th Five-Year Plan (2026-30), said the Ministry of Industry and Information Technology at its annual national work conference that concluded in Beijing on Friday. Ten priority tasks were highlighted, with a sharp focus on cultivating new growth engines and upgrading the industrial ecosystem.

Key sectors identified for strategic development include integrated circuits, new displays, advanced materials, aerospace, low-altitude economy and biomedicine — all designated as emerging pillar industries. The plan also reinforces support for breakthroughs in artificial intelligence and the orderly commercialization of new services such as satellite internet of things.

To accelerate industrial innovation, China will launch its first batch of national demonstration bases for emerging industries and build a series of innovative industrial clusters. In future-oriented fields, top-talent programs will be promoted to tackle key challenges in segmented sectors, while policies for embodied AI and the metaverse will be refined. Additionally, research and development in 6G technology will be strengthened, according to the conference.

Amid global economic uncertainties, China's industrial sector has demonstrated notable resilience and vitality, achieving both qualitative progress and reasonable quantitative growth.

An official from the ministry said,"In 2025, the industrial economy showed steady progress, with annual industrial output expected to increase by 5.9 percent year-on-year."

It is estimated that in 2025, China's telecommunications services and software business revenue will grow by approximately 9 percent and 12 percent year-on-year, respectively, while revenue from digital industries is also set to rise by about 9 percent.

Tang Wenkan, head of the Shanghai Municipal Commission of Economy and Informatization, said:"Shanghai will make every effort to advance breakthroughs across the entire integrated circuit industry chain, systematically plan for innovations and breakthroughs in biopharmaceuticals and medical devices, deeply implement the AI plus initiative, and accelerate the creation of world-class industrial clusters."

Meanwhile, the city will fully cultivate six emerging pillar industries, including high-end equipment and intelligent connected new energy vehicles, Tang said, adding that Shanghai will focus on attracting enterprises through fostering a favorable ecosystem.

Zheng Yongnian, director of the School of Public Policy at The Chinese University of Hong Kong (Shenzhen), said it is vital that China continues to value the real economy. Such views stand in sharp contrast to some Western countries that are pursuing an excessive shift to services at the expense of manufacturing.

"With a complete industrial system, China's future competitiveness hinges on strategic industrial upgrading," Zheng said.

"Industrial upgrading can be broadly categorized into two types: One involves transitioning from producing textiles and footwear today to manufacturing electronics tomorrow; the other entails continuing to produce textiles and footwear while elevating their technological sophistication and added value," he said.

"Historical experience demonstrates that both forms of upgrading are critically important," Zheng added.

On Friday, China took a significant step toward shaping the future of its advanced robotics sector with the inaugural meeting of the humanoid robotics and embodied intelligence standardization technical committee in Beijing.

The committee, operating under the Ministry of Industry and Information Technology, has been established as a key national body to formulate and revise industry standards in this cutting-edge field.