Xinhua Commentary: China's 2026 economic agenda charts path of certainty in volatile times

BEIJING, Dec. 12 (Xinhua) -- With its tone-setting conference mapping out priorities for economic work in the coming year, the world's second-largest economy once again signaled its resolve to deliver certainty to a world grappling with persistent volatility.

As the Central Economic Work Conference concluded this week, China's message is clear and consistent: despite external challenges and domestic complexities, the country remains committed to high-quality growth, unwavering opening up, and reform.

Policies that have underpinned such consistency will continue into 2026, as the meeting pledged to maintain a more proactive fiscal policy and a moderately loose monetary policy, while prioritizing the stimulation of domestic demand and consumption.

Policymakers at the conference emphasized the need to pursue progress while ensuring stability, and better coordinate domestic economic work with struggles in the international economic and trade arena.

Well aware of the underlying challenges and hidden risks, the meeting struck a confident tone that these issues can be resolved through efforts, and the underlying conditions and fundamental trends sustaining China's long-term economic growth remain unchanged.

This year's meeting also carries profound significance as China is wrapping up its 14th Five-Year Plan period (2021-2025) and set to enter the next five-year development period, a planning mechanism that enables the country to pursue long-term goals with policy consistency while allowing flexibility to adapt to shifting domestic and global landscapes.

Over the past five years, China has effectively navigated various shocks and challenges both at home and abroad and achieved new major accomplishments, demonstrating resilient economic governance and prowess to secure development milestones.

Future confidence is firmly grounded in robust performance. The Chinese economy gained steady momentum in 2025, growing 5.2 percent year on year in the first three quarters, keeping it firmly on track to meet its annual growth target of around 5 percent.

Recognizing this sound momentum, international organizations like the International Monetary Fund and the World Bank have recently upgraded their growth forecasts for China, citing notable resilience and key moves to bolster consumption-led growth.

Policymakers also made arrangements to defuse risks in key areas and deepen reform to enhance the momentum and vitality of high-quality development, outlining measures from stabilizing the real estate sector to addressing market involution.

At a time when the international community is beset by a slowing economy and rising trade frictions, policy certainty and economic resilience are rare assets, especially when they come from an economy contributing roughly 30 percent of global economic expansion.

Amid the global surge in trade protectionism, China has pledged to further open up the service sector, develop digital and green trade, promote foreign investment, and expand the network of regional and bilateral trade pacts.

In a fragmented world, this pledge carries particular weight. In the new year and beyond, opportunities are arising in China from a robust domestic market, constant industrial and technological advancements, the ongoing green transition, and the deepening of reforms across the board, among others.

The latest meeting reassures global businesses and investors searching for a stable business environment. Entering 2026, China stands ready to share more dividends of its development, serving as a driving force for the global economy. ■