Overview
- Lawmakers formally approved the 15th Five‑Year Plan through 2030, elevating industrial self‑reliance with major backing for AI, semiconductors, quantum technology, robotics and 6G.
- The NPC set 2026 GDP growth at 4.5–5%, the lowest target in decades, as analysts questioned whether modest consumer support would revive weak domestic demand.
- China lifted defense spending by about 7% to roughly 1.91–1.94 trillion yuan, with leaders emphasizing PLA loyalty and continued anti-corruption efforts across state and military bodies.
- Parliament passed an ethnic‑unity law that critics say advances assimilation by mandating Mandarin in compulsory education for minority groups.
- Beijing signalled high-level engagement with Washington, citing a possible Xi–Trump meeting as Trump announced a March 31–April 2 China visit that Chinese authorities have not confirmed.