‘Two sessions’ 2026: China lays out its economic agenda at press conference

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WATCH LIVE: China’s NPC economic outlook press conference

WATCH LIVE: China’s NPC economic outlook press conference

Introduction

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China’s top economic officials are holding a press conference on Friday as part of the “two sessions”, the country’s annual policymaking meetings.

The leaders of the National Development and Reform Commission – Beijing’s top economic planner – the ministries of finance and commerce, China’s central bank and its main securities regulator are all expected to attend.

At the opening session of China’s national legislature on Thursday, Premier Li Qiang presented the major economic targets for 2025. Confirming earlier reporting from the South China Morning Post , the premier revealed the country’s annual goal for gross domestic product growth would be between 4.5 and 5 per cent.
A draft outline for China’s next five-year plan was also unveiled on Thursday, a document that will set the country’s policy trajectory for the rest of the decade. Meanwhile, attention is focused on how Beijing will handle economic relations with the United States, with President Donald Trump expected to visit China in the coming weeks.

Reporting by Ji Siqi, Sylvia Ma, Carol Yang, Mia Nurmamat, Coco Feng, Mandy Zuo and Shidong Zhang

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