Last year, following the release of the Standing Committee of the National People’s Congress (NPCSC)'s 2025 Legislative Work Plan, we examined the role of these annual plans and considered what they revealed about China's legislative priorities and broader policy objectives. One year later, the release of the NPCSC's 2026 Legislative Work Plan provides an opportunity both to review the implementation of last year's agenda and to examine the legislative priorities for the first year of the 15th Five-Year Plan period.
This article first reviews the implementation of the 2025 legislative plan before turning to the main features of the 2026 legislative plan and the policy objectives reflected in them.
Implementation Progress of the 2025 Legislative Work Plan
Among the 16 draft laws scheduled for submission to the NPCSC, only four remain pending and have been included in this year’s legislative plan. All other laws from the 2025 legislative plan have already been enacted or otherwise completed:
Similarly, among the 30 administrative regulations scheduled for drafting or amendment, only seven have been carried forward into this year's legislative plan and most of which have already been approved as of the date of writing:
Additionally, several regulations listed as preparatory projects in the 2025 legislative plan have already been completed:
It should also be noted that a small number of regulations not included in the 2025 legislative plan were enacted during the year. This is perhaps not entirely unexpected, as the plan is intended to guide legislative priorities rather than provide an exhaustive list of all legislative projects.These include:
A closer look at these developments is also instructive. Those projects that have been carried forward into the following year generally involve particularly complex policy questions or areas where a more cautious legislative approach is required.
For example, the Draft Finance Law was the only legislative project in the 2025 plan involving the enactment of a new law, rather than the amendment of an existing statute.
Similarly, the Draft Amendment to the Road Traffic Safety Law shows the challenges posed by technological developments. The current law remains largely premised on the traditional concept of a "driver". Section 2 of Chapter II, for example, requires drivers to obtain driving licences, comply with road traffic rules and regulations, and be subject to the cumulative demerit point system. As autonomous and intelligent driving technologies continue to develop, legislators are faced with the more difficult question of how these concepts should be adapted and reflected in legislative terms.
Likewise, the proposed amendment to the Water Law goes beyond the revision of existing provisions and introduces two entirely new chapters on the management and protection of rivers and lakes, and on the construction and operation of water projects. Such structural changes inevitably require more extensive legislative consideration.
Conversely, the regulations enacted despite not having appeared in the 2025 legislative plan generally seem to have been driven by emerging practical needs. One example is the introduction of the K visa for young foreign science and technology talent. By facilitating the entry of holders of bachelor's degrees in STEM disciplines for scientific research, academic exchanges and business activities without requiring employer sponsorship, the new visa demonstrates that, notwithstanding the increasingly complex international environment, China remains committed to maintaining a high level of openness to overseas talent and promoting international scientific and technological cooperation.
We now turn to the 2026 legislative plan, focusing on what can be anticipated and any shifts in priorities compared with the 2025 plan.
What Are the Highlights of This Year’s Plan?
Overall, the 2026 legislative plan marks the first year of the 15th Five-Year Plan. Unlike the 2025 plan, which largely focused on implementing and consolidating reforms already underway, the 2026 plan is oriented towards the objectives of the new planning cycle. This shift is reflected not only in the legislative projects selected, but also in the way legislative priorities are framed.
First, while the 2025 plan emphasised high-quality development, the 2026 plan introduces the additional objective of safeguarding high-level security. Under the 15th Five-Year Plan, this concept encompasses food security, energy security, industrial and supply chain security, cybersecurity and data security, as well as broader public safety concerns such as food and drug safety, workplace safety, and disaster prevention and mitigation.
A similar shift can be observed in the field of innovation and technology. The 2025 plan retained the traditional policy framework of "invigorating China through science and education" (科教兴国), whereas the 2026 plan places greater emphasis on "high-level technological self-reliance and self-strengthening" (高水平科技自立自强). In addition, the concept of developing "new quality productive forces" (新质生产力) appears as a priority area requiring legislative support. This closely mirrors the 15th Five-Year Plan, which identifies technological self-reliance and the development of new quality productive forces as key drivers of future growth.
The 15th Five-Year Plan continues the Digital China agenda, but the wording now emphasises a transition from digitalisation to digital-intelligent development (数智化), reflecting a stage of development in which artificial intelligence is integrated into industry, culture, governance and public services. Consistent with this shift, the 2026 legislative plan introduces new references to "accelerating comprehensive legislation for the healthy development of artificial intelligence" and "accelerating legislation on common AI-related elements", including data, computing power and algorithms.
Finally, a noteworthy change can be found in the concluding section on legislative implementation. The 2025 plan called for legislative projects to be completed "as soon as possible", whereas the 2026 plan emphasises completing them "with high quality and efficiency".
As in last year's article, the table below summarises the correspondence between the principal legislative projects included in the 2026 plan and the broader economic and social development objectives of the 15th Five-Year Plan.
| Major 15th Five-Year Plan Goals | 2026 Legislative Work Plan: Laws for Review or Drafting |
| Significant progress in high-quality development | Goal: Build a high-level socialist market economy; accelerate the new development pattern Draft Laws: Finance Law; Bidding and Tendering Law Draft; PBC Law Amendment; Tax Collection Administration Law Amendment; Price Law Amendment New Administrative Regulations: Unified National Market Construction Regulations Administrative Regulations to be Amended: National Agricultural Census Regulations; Audit Law Implementation Regulations; Securities Company Supervision Regulations |
| New breakthroughs in deepening comprehensive reforms | Goal: Strengthen rule-of-law governance; optimise business environment Draft Laws: Draft Civil Service Management Law; Lawyer Law Amendment New Administrative Regulations: Regulations on Judicial Offices Administrative Regulations to be Amended: Administrative Reconsideration Law Implementation Regulations; Regulations on Administration of Market Regulation Offices |
| New breakthroughs in deepening comprehensive reforms | Goal: Strengthen foreign-related legal frameworks; support high-level opening-up Draft Laws: Exit and Entry Administration Law Amendment; Customs Law Amendment New Administrative Regulations: Regulations on Foreign Investment; Regulations on Industrial and Supply Chain Security; Anti-Foreign Improper Extraterritorial Jurisdiction Regulations Administrative Regulations to be Amended: Import and Export Goods Origin Regulations; Foreign Labour Cooperation Management Regulations |
Substantial enhancement of technological self-reliance and strength Marked improvement in the level of social civilisation | Goal: Accelerate high-level technological self-reliance; stimulate cultural innovation Draft Laws: Teacher Law Amendment New Administrative Regulations: Regulations on Protection of Traditional Chinese Medicine Knowledge Administrative Regulations to be Amended: Integrated Circuit Layout Design Protection Regulations; Internet Information Service Management Regulations |
Continuous enhancement of people’s quality of life New significant advances in building a Beautiful China | Goal: Enhance public welfare and promote green transformation Draft Laws: Water Law Amendment; Road Traffic Safety Law Amendment New Administrative Regulations: Water Supply Regulations; Mineral Resources Law Implementation Regulations; Veterans Employment and Entrepreneurship Promotion Regulations Administrative Regulations to be Amended: Drug Administration Law Implementation Regulations; Nature Reserves Regulations; Foundation Management Regulations; Housing Provident Fund Management Regulations |
| Further consolidation of national security safeguards | Goal: Modernise national security and public safety Draft Laws: National Defence Mobilisation Law Amendment; Disaster Prevention and Mitigation Law Amendment New Administrative Regulations: Production Safety Accident Hazard Investigation and Governance Regulations Administrative Regulations to be Amended: Emergency Electricity Safety Accident Handling and Investigation Regulations |
How Should We View This Year’s Plan?
As is often observed in official policy documents, this year's legislative plan presents both opportunities and challenges for foreign-invested enterprises operating in China.
On the one hand, foreign-invested enterprises should be aware of a number of legislative and regulatory developments that may affect their operations in China, particularly those relating to national security, industrial and supply chain security, and foreign-related extraterritorial measures. In particular, the Regulations of the State Council on the Security of Industrial Chains and Supply Chains (Decree No. 834) and the Regulations of the People’s Republic of China on Countering Foreign Improper Extraterritorial Application of Laws and Measures (Decree No. 835) have already entered into force. Broadly, these regulations are intended to strengthen China’s capacity to respond to foreign “long-arm” jurisdiction measures and to safeguard the security and resilience of key industrial sectors and supply chains.
From a compliance perspective, multinational enterprises, including those operating across multiple jurisdictions, should carefully review these regulatory requirements. Particular attention should be given to:
On the other hand, the forthcoming Unified National Market Construction Regulations are expected to further reduce local protectionism and market fragmentation, facilitating the freer movement of goods, services and production factors across China.
This direction is consistent with the 15th Five-Year Plan itself which calls for greater efforts to attract foreign investment, continued improvement of the foreign investment environment, full implementation of national treatment for foreign-invested enterprises, and stronger support for foreign participation in advanced manufacturing, modern services, high technology and green industries. It also emphasises attracting regional headquarters and research and development centres, encouraging reinvestment by foreign-invested enterprises and expanding channels for foreign participation in China's capital markets.
The legislative plan provides a useful indication of the sectors and policy areas likely to receive particular regulatory attention and support in the years ahead. Technological innovation, new quality productive forces, green development and public welfare remain prominent priorities, and foreign investors may increasingly find opportunities in advanced manufacturing, modern services, high technology and environmentally
