Beijing: China will take further steps to expand high-standard opening-up and create a new landscape of win-win cooperation in 2026, which marks the start of the 15th Five-Year Plan period (2026-2030), said Commerce Minister Wang Wentao. In statements to China Media Group, he added that opening up and cooperation for mutual benefit are integral to Chinese modernisation. This year, China will actively expand voluntary opening up.
According to Emirates News Agency, the country will steadily open up areas such as value-added telecommunications, biotechnology, and wholly foreign-owned hospitals, while accelerating comprehensive pilot and demonstration programs for expanded opening-up in the services sector. Wang noted, “We will expand the scope and regions of unilateral opening-up and ensure the implementation of zero-tariff treatment on 100 percent of tariff lines for all African countries that have diplomatic relations with China.”
Efforts will be made to promote the effective implementation of policies for special customs operations of the Hainan Free Trade Port. China aims to further enhance the level of trade and investment liberalisation and facilitation, optimise the regional layout and coverage of pilot free trade zones, and support these zones in carrying out more robust institutional opening-up trials in areas such as market access, environmental standards, and government procurement.
The minister also emphasized China’s commitment to promoting the orderly planning of cross-border industrial and supply chains. Economic and trade cooperation under the Belt and Road Initiative will be deepened, focusing on enhancing integration and connectivity across production and supply chains. Cooperation will be encouraged in areas including green development, the digital economy, green minerals, new infrastructure, and new energy, to help build global production and supply chain partnerships that are equal, inclusive, and constructive.
“We will give play to the platform role of overseas economic and trade cooperation zones, expand overseas marketing networks, and explore international markets through outward investment,” Wang said. He highlighted the goal of achieving mutual promotion between investment and trade and advancing the integrated development of trade and investment, along with improving the overseas comprehensive service system and the national-level overseas comprehensive service platform.
Additionally, China will participate constructively in global economic governance. In 2026, China plans to pursue flexible and pragmatic approaches to negotiate trade and investment agreements with more willing countries and regions. The country will also strengthen economic and trade cooperation under multilateral frameworks such as BRICS, G20, and the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation, to further promote mutual benefit and win-win outcomes.
