Visitors learn about AI-assisted surface inspection production line at the Intelligent Industry and Information Technology exhibition area during the eighth China International Import Expo in east China's Shanghai, Nov. 5, 2025. [Photo/Xinhua]

As China outlines its priorities for the 15th Five-Year Plan (2026-2030), the country is moving to advance high-standard opening up and further "open wider to the outside world."

At a key Party plenum in October, the Communist Party of China leadership adopted its recommendations for formulating the 15th Five-Year Plan, outlining China's economic and social development priorities for the next five years.

According to the recommendations, the country should make promoting high-standard opening up a key task for the coming five years, emphasizing that opening up and cooperation for mutual benefit are integral to Chinese modernization. What does this commitment mean in practice? How will it be translated into concrete policies?

A key focus will be on aligning with high-standard international economic and trade rules. Efforts are set to expand China's globally-oriented, high-standard network of free trade areas and advance the process of joining key international agreements, including the Comprehensive and Progressive Agreement for Trans-Pacific Partnership (CPTPP), the Digital Economy Partnership Agreement (DEPA), and the World Trade Organization's Agreement on Government Procurement.

In addition to the free flow of goods, China will also promote people-to-people exchanges with the world by expanding its list of visa-exempt countries. China's market will also be more accessible, as foreign investment negotiations will be advanced through a negative list approach.

China will especially broaden market access in the services sector. The country views openness in this sector as key to the overall high-standard opening up. The pilot openings in telecommunications and healthcare services will be expanded, while those in the education and culture sectors will be promoted in a prudent and orderly manner.

Service trade represents another key area. By hosting major exhibitions such as the China International Import Expo, the China International Fair for Trade in Services, and the China International Fair for Investment and Trade, China aims to attract more foreign companies to invest and introduce diverse service-based business models.

China's opening up is anchored in the pursuit of win-win outcomes. The country is committed to upholding a fair, just, open, inclusive, and win-win international economic order and to engaging in mutually beneficial economic and trade cooperation with all nations. High-quality cooperation under the Belt and Road Initiative will be further deepened, according to the recommendations.

China has continued to make significant progress in opening up. China's scale of foreign trade in goods has ranked first in the world for eight consecutive years, with its exports and imports accounting for over 14 percent and 10 percent of the global total, respectively.

Since 2024, China has applied zero-tariff treatment to 100 percent of tariff lines for all least developed countries (LDCs) with which it has diplomatic relations. Further steps are planned in the coming years to facilitate LDCs' exports to the Chinese market.

On the global stage, China will actively engage in multilateral cooperation. China's participation in the reform of the World Trade Organization, and in the formulation of rules in new sectors such as digital trade, artificial intelligence, and supply chain resilience, is expected.

"China's high-standard opening up helps to build global consensus," China's Commerce Minister Wang Wentao said. "It also helps create a sound environment for global trade, investment, development and cooperation, pooling positive energy to advance economic globalization."