Dissecting the "15th Five-Year Plan" 109 Major Projects: Mention of Several New Industries Including Embodied Intelligence

The “14th Five-Year Plan” outlines 109 major projects for implementation, serving as an important means to promote the plan’s execution. These projects cover several key areas of Chinese-style modernization, balancing current development needs with long-term goals, and will provide stronger support for economic growth and improving people’s livelihoods.

Our review shows that compared to the “14th Five-Year Plan,” the 109 major projects newly mention emerging industries and new tracks such as embodied intelligence, biomanufacturing, green hydrogen, brain-computer interfaces, and new batteries. They also include multiple projects and specific targets related to new infrastructure development.

Leading the Development of New-Quality Productivity

The “15th Five-Year Plan” proposes 109 major projects across six areas, including: 28 projects to lead new-quality productivity, 23 to build a modern infrastructure system, 9 to promote urban-rural integration, 25 to ensure and improve people’s livelihoods, 18 to promote green and low-carbon transformation, and 6 to ensure safety in key areas.

Among these, 51 projects focus on leading new-quality productivity and building a modern infrastructure system, accounting for nearly half. Jinzheng Zhen, an analyst at China International Capital Corporation, believes that compared to the 102 major projects in the “14th Five-Year Plan,” the increase in number and structural optimization of the 109 projects in the “15th Five-Year Plan” highlight the emphasis on building a modern industrial system and consolidating the real economy.

Compared to the “14th Five-Year Plan,” our review finds that the new plan mentions several emerging industries and tracks such as embodied intelligence, biomanufacturing, green hydrogen, brain-computer interfaces, and new batteries. It also sets strategic directions and specific application scenarios for their development.

For example, in embodied intelligence, the plan proposes to coordinate the layout of embodied intelligence training grounds, promote virtual-physical integration for collaborative training and evolution, conduct in-depth research on physical artificial intelligence, develop integrated models and algorithms for the brain and body, tackle key technologies like core components, and accelerate the upgrade and application of humanoid robots. In brain-computer interfaces, it emphasizes speeding up research on new electrodes, dedicated chips, signal encoding and decoding algorithms, and Chinese language corpora, to promote applications in brain disease diagnosis, motor rehabilitation, and health monitoring.

陶川, Chief Economist at Guolian Minsheng Securities, believes that industrial advancement relies on strong technological support. The addition of several cutting-edge new industries and tracks in the “15th Five-Year Plan” demonstrates a firm resolve to “seize the technological high ground.” Currently, technological innovation is shifting from addressing weaknesses to strengthening advantages, from following to leading breakthroughs, providing fresh momentum for industry “races.”

Building a Modern Infrastructure System

The “15th Five-Year Plan” dedicates a chapter to “building a modern infrastructure system,” proposing multiple projects and specific goals centered on the national comprehensive three-dimensional transportation network, new energy systems, modern water networks, and new infrastructure.

For example, in transportation, the plan aims to establish the “Eight Vertical and Eight Horizontal” high-speed railway corridors and national highway network, upgrade inland waterways to higher standards, and complete a world-class port and airport cluster. In new energy, it plans to regulate and orderly develop deep-sea wind power, with offshore wind power grid-connected capacity reaching over 100 million kW; promote safe and orderly offshore nuclear power construction, with nuclear capacity reaching about 110 million kW.

Regarding new infrastructure, the plan calls for improving information and communication networks, expanding 5G and gigabit optical networks, advancing 5G-A, 10-gigabit optical networks, and developing 6G technology, to promote autonomous iteration of mobile IoT. It also emphasizes advancing the “East Data West Computing” project, building multi-layered computing facilities and a nationwide integrated computing network, and improving civilian space infrastructure, including satellite communication, navigation, remote sensing systems, and accelerating low-earth orbit satellite internet deployment.

章俊, Chief Economist at China Galaxy Securities, notes that after the “14th Five-Year Plan,” most of China’s main infrastructure networks have taken shape. The next phase requires updating, transforming, and improving quality and efficiency. The plan emphasizes integration, safety, resilience, and sustainable operation of infrastructure.

He highlights three key directions for future infrastructure development: safety and resilience-oriented infrastructure such as energy corridors, water systems, resilient transportation upgrades, and emergency facilities; new-quality productivity-oriented infrastructure like integrated national computing networks, major technological infrastructure, and digital upgrades of traditional facilities; and stock renewal-oriented infrastructure, including renovation of old municipal facilities, maintenance of transportation infrastructure, and upgrading urban underground pipelines.

Enhancing Scenario Development and Openness

Implementing major projects requires sufficient financial support, government investment, and other elements.

郑栅洁, Director of the National Development and Reform Commission, recently stated that efforts will be made to advance the 109 major projects and expand effective investment. For example, promoting the “Six Networks” and key area construction—these include water, electricity, computing, new communication, urban underground pipelines, and logistics networks. Key sectors include comprehensive transportation facilities, infrastructure for consumption, low-altitude areas, “AI+,” education, and healthcare, with estimated investments exceeding 7 trillion yuan this year.

Lian Ping, President of Guangkai Institute of Industry and Chief Economist, believes that with the “14th Five-Year Plan” behind us, most core infrastructure networks are basically in place. The next step is to update, upgrade, and improve quality and efficiency. The plan emphasizes integrated development, safety, resilience, and sustainable operation of infrastructure.

He points out that future infrastructure efforts will focus on three areas: safety and resilience-oriented infrastructure such as energy corridors, water systems, resilient transportation, and emergency facilities; new-quality productivity infrastructure like integrated computing networks, major technological infrastructure, and digital upgrades; and stock renewal projects such as renovating old municipal facilities, maintaining transportation infrastructure, and upgrading urban underground pipelines.

Increasing Scenario Cultivation and Openness

The implementation of major projects depends on sufficient fiscal budgets and government investments.

郑栅洁 also mentioned that this year, around ten key areas will see the launch of comprehensive open scenarios, exploring mechanisms like “unveiling and appointing” to encourage government, central enterprises, and institutions to lead open resource sharing. Currently, the NDRC, together with the Ministry of Science and Technology, MIIT, and SASAC, is organizing applications for landmark major application scenarios at the national level, aiming to recommend high-value projects and release about 100 flagship scenarios to the public.