China has formally adopted a new economic blueprint that commits the nation to an aggressive push for global leadership in artificial intelligence and other foundational technologies. The 15th Five-Year Plan, ratified by China's legislature and covering 2026 to 2030, promises "extraordinary measures" to advance fields like AI, quantum computing, and biotechnology.

Researchers note a shift in tone from previous plans. "Five years ago, the sentiment was about not falling too far behind the United States," says Meicen Sun, an information scientist at the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign. "Now, there's a palpable belief that China can be a true leader."

The document underscores a drive for technological self-reliance, targeting six specific domains for breakthroughs: integrated circuits, industrial machine tools, high-end instruments, basic software, advanced materials, and biomanufacturing. Analysts say this reflects a long-standing goal given new urgency by strategic competition with the U.S. "The mission to overcome choke points has been brought to the fore," notes Zhou Weihuan, a legal scholar at the University of New South Wales.

Funding reflects the priority. China's science budget is set to rise 10% this year to 426 billion yuan ($62 billion), with further R&D increases pledged. The plan also promotes the "AI Plus" campaign, aiming to integrate artificial intelligence across industry and social governance, treating AI infrastructure as a strategic national resource.

Recent advances, like the surprisingly efficient large language models from Chinese startup DeepSeek in early 2025, have bolstered confidence. Sun suggests China will now aim not just to develop AI, but to help write the global rules governing it. The plan points to continued fast-tracking of R&D and policy tools, like specialized visas for foreign scientists, to make that ambition a reality.

Source: Nature