China’s new masterplan for its tech economy in 2030 and beyond

GateUser-9ad11037 · 2026-04-03T00:56:04+00:00

China’s 15th five-year plan envisions ambitious technological advancements like flying taxis and fusion power, echoing past initiatives. While China has made strides in various fields, achieving dominance in future technologies remains a significant challenge.

GateUser-9ad11037

2026-04-03 00:56:04

Abstract generation in progress

CHINESE TECHNOCRATS spell out their vision of the future in impenetrable officialese. The 15th five-year plan for China’s economic development, adopted in March, talks of “industrial upgrading”, “new quality productive forces” and the like. Yet in plain language, it translates into Elon Musk’s fever dream: skies dotted with flying taxis; fusion power fuelling factories manned by humanoid robots; unstoppable quantum computers; 6G mobile devices plugged directly into people’s brains.

Past plans also displayed gumption. In 2015 the most high-profile plan in years, dubbed Made in China 2025, set the goal of catching up with America and ending reliance on foreign technology. But catching up, which China has pulled off in areas like electric cars, clean energy and even artificial intelligence, is one thing. Dominating technologies of the future is another.

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