By Special Correspondent

China has outlined 28 major projects in its development blueprint for the 15th Five-Year Plan period (2026–2030), aimed at advancing industrial upgrading, fostering emerging industries, achieving breakthroughs in cutting-edge technologies and strengthening national innovation capacity.

The projects are included in the draft outline of the 15th Five-Year Plan submitted to the country’s top legislature for deliberation. The initiatives are intended to support the development of what China describes as “new quality productive forces” across several strategic sectors.

According to the plan reviewed at the national legislative session held in Beijing, the mega-projects cover four major areas: upgrading industrial infrastructure, cultivating emerging industries, advancing frontier technologies and enhancing innovation capabilities.

Among the transport-related initiatives, China plans to put the CR450 high-speed train into operation after trials. The CR450 is engineered for a top test speed of 450 kilometers per hour and is expected to become the fastest bullet train in the world.

The development blueprint also highlights efforts to strengthen China’s aviation industry. The plan proposes accelerating breakthroughs in the C929 wide-body aircraft program and continuing validation of the CJ-1000A aircraft engine. The C929 is China’s first independently developed jet-powered long-range wide-body aircraft, while the CJ-1000A is a high-bypass turbofan engine designed for commercial jetliners.

China also plans to expand production capacity for the domestically developed C919 passenger aircraft. The blueprint includes the development of plateau variants of the C919 as well as new-energy aircraft.

In the field of digital and industrial technologies, the plan outlines efforts to develop domestically produced operating systems and industrial software. The projects also include the development of high-end digital machine tools, large cruise ships and liquefied natural gas carriers.

Several initiatives focus on emerging technologies expected to shape future industries. These include accelerating advanced semiconductor manufacturing, deploying high-density batteries and promoting the real-world application of humanoid robots.

China will also advance research and applications in areas such as brain-computer interface products and intelligent surgical robots. Brain-computer interface technology has been listed among the country’s future industries alongside quantum technology, embodied artificial intelligence and sixth-generation (6G) communications.

The blueprint also proposes developing high-performance artificial intelligence chips and general-purpose quantum computers, as well as advancing research into controllable nuclear fusion.

China is also planning new initiatives in deep-sea exploration. The country intends to expand deep-sea mining and oil and gas extraction and is preparing to build a deep-sea “space station” for scientific research.

Space exploration is another major focus of the development plan. Proposed initiatives include studying or implementing new planetary probes, developing near-Earth asteroid defense capabilities and exploring the boundary of the solar system.

China also plans to advance the construction of an international lunar research station and develop reusable heavy-lift rockets to support future space missions.

In addition, the blueprint outlines plans to build national laboratories and major science and technology infrastructure facilities. It also proposes establishing three world-class innovation centers to strengthen China’s foundational innovation capacity during the 2026–2030 period.

Credit: INP-WealthPk