China outlines science and technology priorities through 2030 — ECNS
China intends to strengthen basic research, develop key technologies and accelerate the industrial application of scientific results under its 15th Five-Year Plan for 2026–2030. Representatives of the Ministry of Science and Technology said this at a press conference held by the State Council Information Office of the PRC, ECNS reports.
Basic and key technologies
Minister of Science and Technology Yin Hejun said that China’s total spending on research and development in 2025 exceeded 3.92 trillion yuan, or about $582 billion. This amounted to 2.8% of the country’s GDP and, according to him, exceeded the average among member states of the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development for the first time.
Among the areas of basic research, China named mathematical theory and its applications, control of states of matter, synthetic biology, the materials genome, controlled thermonuclear fusion, and intelligent scientific research systems. Faster application of artificial intelligence in science was identified as a separate task.
The country also plans to develop the entire innovation chain in integrated circuits, machine-tool manufacturing and high-tech instruments. Artificial intelligence, quantum technologies, biotechnology and brain-computer interfaces were listed among priority cutting-edge fields.
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Application of developments
Deputy Minister of Science and Technology Zhang Guangjun said policy should orient research toward practical demand rather than provide for finding applications only after results have been obtained. China also plans to direct innovation resources to enterprises, including projects, platforms, data, personnel and financing, as well as create platforms for proof-of-concept validation and pilot testing.
Another deputy minister, Qiu Yong, said that in the first half of 2026, the volume of new funds raised in the equity investment market exceeded 1 trillion yuan. According to him, citing data from relevant institutions, this was 49% higher than in the same period of the previous year.
Innovation centers
China will continue to develop international science and technology centers in Beijing and the Beijing-Tianjin-Hebei region, Shanghai and the Yangtze River Delta, as well as the Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macao Greater Bay Area. According to Yin Hejun, these three centers account for 58.8% of the country’s research and development spending and 81.1% of international patent applications under the PCT procedure.
