Chinese President Xi Jinping said in his 2026 New Year message on Wednesday that China has met the targets in its 14th Five-Year Plan and made solid advances on the new journey of Chinese modernization.

Noting that 2025 marks the completion of the 14th Five-Year Plan, Xi said over the past five years, China has pressed ahead with enterprise and fortitude, and overcome many difficulties and challenges. The country's economic output is expected to reach 140 trillion yuan (around $20 trillion) this year. China's economic strength, scientific and technological abilities, defense abilities, and composite national strength all reached new heights.

Science and technology are now integrated deeply with industries, AI models are competing in a race to the top, and breakthroughs have been made in the research and development of China's own chips, turning the country into one of the economies with the fastest growing innovation capabilities, Xi noted.

Describing the cultural and tourism sectors as thriving, Xi said China has seen a surging public interest in cultural relics, museums and intangible cultural heritage.

"Cultural IPs such as Wukong and Ne Zha became global hits. The younger generation came to deem classic Chinese culture as the finest form of aesthetic expression," Xi added.