As the world watches for the next move in the high-stakes chess game between Washington and Beijing, China has made its ambitions crystal clear. In the run-up to a critical meeting between former U.S. President Donald Trump and Chinese leader Xi Jinping, China has doubled down on its plans to dominate the future of technology and advanced manufacturing.
China’s Tech Ambitions: The 15th Five-Year Plan Blueprint
The recently concluded Fourth Plenary Session of the Chinese Communist Party laid out the foundational guidelines for the nation’s 15th Five-Year Plan (2026-2030). At its core is a resolute commitment to building a “modernized industrial system” and reinforcing the “foundations of the real economy” . This isn’t just economic policy; it’s a strategic declaration of technological independence.
Building on the legacy of the Made in China 2025 initiative, the new plan pushes even further, embedding “scientific and technological self-reliance” as a central pillar . The goal is to move China from being the world’s factory to its innovation engine.
Key Focus Areas: Where China is Betting Big
The plan zeroes in on several critical, high-tech sectors where China aims to achieve global leadership or, at the very least, strategic self-sufficiency.
- Semiconductors: Aiming for 50% self-sufficiency in chip production by 2025, China is pouring unprecedented resources into its domestic semiconductor industry to break free from foreign supply chains .
- Artificial Intelligence (AI): The “AI+” drive is a cornerstone of the strategy, with a target for AI-powered systems to penetrate over 70% of key economic sectors by 2027 .
- Electric Vehicles (EVs) & Green Tech: China is already the world’s largest EV market and producer, and the new plan ensures this lead will be aggressively defended and expanded.
The Trump-Xi Meeting: A Backdrop of Rising Tensions
This assertive industrial policy unfolds against the backdrop of a looming face-to-face meeting between Donald Trump and Xi Jinping. While the exact location for their November 2025 summit is still being finalized, it is expected to take place on the sidelines of a major international forum like APEC .
The meeting is widely anticipated to be a tense affair, with U.S.-China relations strained over trade, technology, and geopolitical influence. China’s public reaffirmation of its tech ambitions just weeks before the summit is a clear signal that it will not back down from its strategic goals, regardless of American pressure.
Global Supply Chains in the Crosshairs
China’s plan explicitly states its intention to “strengthen the stability of global supply chains” . However, from Washington’s perspective, this could be interpreted as an effort to make the world more dependent on Chinese technology and manufacturing, thereby increasing its geopolitical leverage. This dynamic is at the heart of the ongoing tech cold war between the two superpowers.
What This Means for the Global Economy
China’s unwavering commitment to its industrial plan has far-reaching implications. On one hand, it promises to be a powerful “global economic anchor,” driving innovation and demand . On the other, it guarantees continued friction with the United States and its allies, who view China’s state-driven model as a direct threat to their own technological and economic security .
The world is being forced to choose sides in a new era of technological competition, and China has just loudly declared its hand.
Sources
- Original Article: Ahead of Trump-Xi Meeting, China Doubles Down on Tech Ambitions
- China’s 15th Five-Year Plan Guidelines
- China’s Semiconductor Self-Sufficiency Goals
- China’s “AI+” Drive Strategy
- Made in China 2025 Analysis
