Dear VDMA member,
China's 15th Five-Year Plan cycle (2026–2030) opens a new phase in the country's industrial strategy. Two overall commitments anchor the new cycle: keeping manufacturing at the core of the economy and Chinese companies going global.
Following our overall introduction to the new Five-Year Plan in March, we will now take a closer look at its industry section, which focuses on building a modern industrial system.
As in recent cycles, most machinery sectors, except robotics and agriculture machinery, are not expected to receive a dedicated state-level plan. Government support increasingly runs through cross-cutting initiatives in innovation, digitalisation ("AI+"), green manufacturing and industrial standards upgrading. Sector guidance will instead largely come through the semi-official China Machinery Industry Federation. It has said its own 5-year plan framework will include one overarching outline, 29 sub-sector plans (covering electrical equipment, heavy machinery, construction machinery, petroleum and petrochemical equipment, general machinery, environmental equipment and power batteries and others) and 13 thematic plans (focusing on science and technology, brands, quality, standards and intelligent manufacturing).
This presentation examines the relevance of China's 15th Five-Year Plan for VDMA companies and considers the risks and opportunities for European machinery manufacturers in China. It closes with a discussion on the implications for European machinery manufacturers and foreign-invested companies operating in China: where competitive pressure will build, and where openings remain.
About the event
- Event Title: Five-Year Plan Deep-Dive: China's 15th Five-Year Plan: what the updated industrial strategy means for VDMA members
- Date: August 18, 2026
- Time: 4:00 – 5:15 (Chinese time), 10:00 – 11:15 (German time)
- Format: online via MS Teams
About the speakers
- Erlend Ek, partner at CP Global Insight
Erlend has two decades of experience in China policy analysis and stakeholder engagement. His work focuses on the macro-level dynamics of China's economic and social policies, with particular expertise in the foundational sectors of energy, industry, agriculture, and trade. He examines how China navigates the trade-offs between growth and equity, development and sustainability, and how domestic and international institutional frameworks influence economic outcomes. Erlend joined CHINA POLICY in 2012 and was seconded to the Norwegian Embassy in Beijing as Energy Affairs Lead from 2018 to 2022. He is now a Partner at CP Global Insight, where he advises businesses and public-sector clients on China's evolving policy landscape and its global implications.
- Simon Chen, macroeconomy and industry analyst at CP Global Insight
Simon researches Chinese economic, industrial and technology policy for corporate, government and diplomatic audiences, focusing on five-year planning, industrial upgrading, fiscal policy, state-owned enterprise reform and the green transition in heavy industry. He holds a PhD in China Studies from the University of Sydney, where he examined modernization in Chinese Communist Party discourse, along with degrees in economics, finance and Asian Studies. He works extensively with Chinese-language policy documents and expert debate.
We look forward to your participation in this timely discussion.
VDMA China