On December 8, the Political Bureau of the Communist Party of China (CPC) Central Committee convened a meeting in Beijing to analyze and deliberate on economic work for 2026 and to review the "Regulations on the CPC’s Leadership over Comprehensive Law-Based Governance." General Secretary Xi Jinping presided over the meeting.
The meeting noted that 2025 has been a year of significant importance in the course of Chinese modernization. Under the strong leadership of the CPC Central Committee with Comrade Xi Jinping at its core, the entire Party and people of all ethnic groups across the country have risen to challenges, worked diligently, and skillfully managed both domestic and international situations. By implementing more proactive and effective macroeconomic policies, China is on track to successfully achieve its major socioeconomic development targets for the year. The economy has remained generally stable and made steady progress: new-quality productive forces are steadily advancing; reform and opening-up have taken new steps forward; positive progress has been made in defusing risks in key areas; people’s livelihoods have been further strengthened; and overall social stability has been maintained. Over the past five years, China has effectively responded to various shocks and challenges, significantly enhancing its hard power in the economy, science and technology, and national defense, as well as its soft power in culture, institutions, and diplomacy. The 14th Five-Year Plan (2021–2025) is set to conclude successfully, laying a solid foundation for a strong start to the new journey toward the second centenary goal.
The meeting stressed that in carrying out next year’s economic work, China must be guided by Xi Jinping Thought on Socialism with Chinese Characteristics for a New Era, thoroughly implement the spirit of the 20th CPC National Congress and its subsequent plenary sessions, fully, accurately, and comprehensively apply the new development philosophy, accelerate the creation of a new development pattern, and focus on promoting high-quality development. Adhering to the overarching principle of “pursuing progress while ensuring stability,” China should better coordinate domestic economic priorities with international trade and economic competition, and better balance development and security. More proactive and effective macroeconomic policies should be implemented, with enhanced foresight, precision, and synergy. Efforts must continue to expand domestic demand, optimize supply, improve incremental quality, revitalize existing capacity, foster new-quality productive forces tailored to local conditions, deepen the building of a unified national market, persistently guard against and resolve risks in key sectors, and stabilize employment, enterprises, markets, and expectations—thereby driving both qualitative improvements and reasonable quantitative growth in the economy, maintaining social harmony and stability, and ensuring a strong start to the 15th Five-Year Plan period (2026–2030).
The meeting pointed out that 2026’s economic work must adhere to the principles of “stability with progress” and “quality improvement with greater efficiency.” China will continue implementing a more proactive fiscal policy and a moderately accommodative monetary policy, maximizing the integrated effects of both existing and new policy measures. Greater emphasis will be placed on counter-cyclical and cross-cycle macroeconomic regulation to substantially enhance the effectiveness of macro governance. Specific priorities include:
The meeting emphasized strengthening the Party’s leadership—especially the centralized, unified leadership of the CPC Central Committee. Officials must uphold and practice a correct outlook on political achievement, tailor economic strategies to local realities, and pursue high-quality, sustainable development. High-quality national and local 15th Five-Year Plans and specialized plans must be formulated. As the year-end approaches, authorities must ensure stable supply of essential goods, show concern for vulnerable populations, address arrears owed to enterprises and unpaid wages for migrant workers, and firmly uphold the basic living standards of the people. A strong sense of responsibility must guide all efforts to ensure workplace safety and prevent major and especially serious accidents.
The meeting also highlighted that formulating the Regulations on the CPC’s Leadership over Comprehensive Law-Based Governance is of great significance for further enhancing the scientific, institutionalized, and standardized leadership of the Party over law-based governance, building a more complete socialist rule-of-law system with Chinese characteristics, and advancing China toward a higher level of socialist rule-of-law civilization.
The meeting stressed the need to uphold and strengthen the Party’s leadership, ensuring that the Party’s role in leading legislation, guaranteeing law enforcement, supporting the judiciary, and taking the lead in abiding by the law is fully realized. This will elevate the country’s capacity for law-based governance and law-based exercise of state power. The meeting called for full implementation of Xi Jinping Thought on the Rule of Law, firm adherence to the correct political direction of comprehensive law-based governance, strengthened confidence in China’s legal system, and unwavering commitment to the socialist rule-of-law path with Chinese characteristics. It urged Party officials at all levels to enhance their respect for and reverence toward the rule of law, and to jointly advance scientific legislation, strict law enforcement, impartial administration of justice, and universal compliance with the law. By comprehensively promoting the rule of law in all areas of national governance, China will provide robust legal safeguards for advancing national rejuvenation and building a modern socialist country through Chinese-style modernization.
