From kung-fu performing robots to AI models making videos go viral, China is turning imagination into reality — and the world can’t stop watching.

“Innovation is development; innovation is the future,” declared Chinese President Xi Jinping — a mantra that has guided China’s transformation over the past decade.

Since taking the helm, Xi has steered the nation onto an innovation-driven path, riding a powerful wave of technological breakthroughs and industrial reinvention with vision and precision.

Humanoid robots perform at the World Robot Conference 2023 in Beijing, capital of China, Aug. 16, 2023. PHOTO: XINHUA

Today, China’s innovation boom is doing more than fueling domestic growth — it’s reshaping opportunities around the world. As the annual ‘Two Sessions’ kick off the first year of the 15th Five-Year Plan (2026–2030), all eyes are on China, looking for a blueprint that blends cutting-edge development with global cooperation, promising a future where progress and shared prosperity go hand in hand.

China’s rise as a global innovation powerhouse is no accident — it is the product of a carefully crafted, long-term blueprint and methodical, step-by-step execution.

At the first “Two Sessions” following the 18th National Congress of the Communist Party in 2013, President Xi underlined the need for an independent path of innovation, deep reforms in science and technology, and the transformation of China from a major economy into a truly strong economic power.

A ‘selfie’ taken by China’s Zhurong Mars rover during the Tianwen-1 mission. PHOTO: CNSA

Innovation has remained at the core of successive development plans: both the 13th and 14th Five-Year Plans prioritised technological advancement, and in the 15th Plan’s recommendations, the words “technology” and “innovation” appear an impressive 46 and 61 times, respectively — underscoring China’s unwavering commitment to shaping its future through cutting-edge progress.

Clemens Schuette, chairman of the German-Chinese Business Association, said innovation is a long-term strategic choice for China, not a temporary policy priority. “China’s innovation-driven strategy is shaping the path of global technological progress,” he added.

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The Chinese president has stressed innovation as the primary driver of development, putting forward top-level initiatives to foster industrial breakthroughs, new business models and growth engines. By leveraging cutting-edge technologies, China aims to fully unlock its productive potential, upgrade traditional industries and scale emerging sectors to transform innovation into economic growth.

A large screen shows news footage of a Chinese national flag carried by Chang’e-6 probe’s lander on the far side of the moon, in Beijing, China June 4, 2024. PHOTO:REUTERS

Foreign leaders have experienced China’s intelligent manufacturing firsthand: South Korean President Lee Jae Myung shook hands with a Chinese robot; Uruguayan President Yamandu Orsi rode a high-speed train and German Chancellor Olaf Scholz tried a driver-assistance system developed in collaboration with Chinese firms. The WIPO Global Innovation Index 2025 places China in the top 10 worldwide for the first time.

What explains China’s innovation success?

Analysts point to the country’s ability to mobilise resources strategically. At a national IT innovation park visit in February 2026, Xi urged the pooling of resources to achieve breakthroughs in critical technologies.

The 15th Five-Year Plan emphasises unconventional measures to secure decisive advances in key fields, including integrated circuits, industrial machine tools, high-end equipment, software, advanced materials and biomanufacturing.

Lawrence Loh of National University of Singapore Business School noted that China’s whole-of-nation approach — coordinating public and private sectors across administrative levels — is unmatched globally.

China deploys innovation across all scales: from space exploration, exemplified by the Chang’e lunar missions, to 5G-enabled telemedicine serving remote rural communities. Analysts say this seamless ecosystem is a key differentiator.

A 3D-printed minimalist turbojet engine independently developed by the Aero Engine Corporation of China (AECC) has completed its first flight test, AECC announces on November 13, 2025. Photo: Screenshot from the military channel of China Central Television/ global times

International collaboration strengthens China’s innovation, with partnerships in over 160 countries. Chinese new-energy vehicles are manufactured in Europe, European automakers conduct joint R&D in China and multinational pharmaceutical firms are expanding research hubs in the country.

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“Innovation is an important driving force that propels world development,” Xi said at the 28th APEC Economic Leaders’ Meeting in 2021, underlining its global importance. China’s approach promotes international cooperation, openness, and sharing to tackle global development challenges.

During the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation (SCO) Tianjin Summit, parties agreed to enhance science, technology, and innovation collaboration and launched the China-SCO Sci-Tech Innovation Cooperation Centre.

China is emerging as a pivotal force in global innovation.

The BeiDou Navigation Satellite System serves over 140 countries, while high-speed rail technology offers global transportation solutions.

Through initiatives like the Belt and Road Initiative, SCO, and BRICS, China continues to share technology and market opportunities worldwide, said Ruslan Yesin, head of the Belarusian Communist Party’s SCO and BRICS Department.