China has unveiled 19 key measures to accelerate the development of new quality productive forces, with a focus on innovation in science and technology, industrial development, development models, institutional mechanisms and talent management.

The measures were outlined in a document on developing new quality productive forces jointly issued by the Communist Party of China Central Committee and the State Council on October 9.

The document sets out the guiding principles, approaches and priorities for developing new quality productive forces, providing a unified framework for policy implementation.

It calls for adherence to four principles: innovation-driven development, reform as a key enabler, adaptation to local conditions, and establishing the new before phasing out the old. These principles are designed to ensure that efforts to develop new quality productive forces remain focused, balanced and sustainable.

Lin Xiaofeng, deputy director of the Innovation-Driven Development Center under the National Development and Reform Commission (NDRC), said innovation provides the driving force, reform offers institutional support, adaptation to local conditions determines the approach, and establishing the new before phasing out the old sets the pace.

The four principles are interconnected and mutually reinforcing, reflecting a systematic and pragmatic approach to fostering new quality productive forces, Lin said.

Five priorities for scientific and technological innovation

Scientific and technological innovation is a core driver of new quality productive forces, and the document identifies five major tasks in this area: strengthening original and disruptive innovation, accelerating breakthroughs in key and core technologies, coordinating the development of national strategic scientific and technological capabilities, reinforcing the principal role of enterprises in technological innovation, and speeding up the application of scientific and technological advances in real-world production.

The document places particular emphasis on strengthening enterprises' role as the principal actors in technological innovation.

Lin said efforts would focus on enabling enterprises to play a greater role in setting research priorities and leading innovation projects, while improving mechanisms for their participation in decision-making on scientific and technological innovation, policy formulation and project planning.

Enterprises will also be encouraged to undertake more national research and development (R&D) tasks.

To encourage greater investment in innovation, the document calls for the establishment of an R&D reserve fund system for enterprises and an increase in the additional tax deduction ratio for R&D expenses, with the aim of generating landmark and leading-edge innovations.

These coordinated measures are expected to provide strong support for developing new quality productive forces characterized by high technology, high efficiency and high quality during the 15th Five-Year Plan period (2026-2030).

The document also calls for deeper reforms to strengthen the integration of science and technology with the economy.

AI to drive industrial transformation

The document highlights the comprehensive implementation of the "AI Plus" initiative as a key measure to build a modernized industrial system.

It calls for the development of national pilot and testing bases for artificial intelligence (AI) applications across industries, as well as high-value application scenarios, with policies tailored to local conditions and the needs of different sectors.

The initiative aims to accelerate the adoption of AI across industries, particularly in upgrading traditional sectors.

Liu Zhenzhong, head of the Research Office for New Quality Productive Forces at the Institute of Industrial Economics and Technological Economics under the NDRC, said developing new quality productive forces does not mean abandoning traditional industries. Instead, intelligent technologies should be used to upgrade existing industries and revitalize the real economy.

National pilot and testing bases for industrial AI applications will help address challenges such as the high cost and difficulty of deploying AI technologies in real-world settings, Liu said.

By testing and refining laboratory technologies in actual industrial environments, these bases can reduce the costs and risks associated with technological experimentation and accelerate the large-scale application of AI in traditional industries, he added.

Energy revolution to support green, low-carbon development

The document also calls for actively advancing an energy revolution amid profound changes in the global energy landscape and an accelerating transition toward green and low-carbon development.

To support China's carbon peaking and carbon neutrality goals, it proposes the orderly development of advanced nuclear fission technologies, the establishment of a power system with a high share of renewable energy, and improvements to policies for renewable energy integration and grid regulation.

It also calls for demonstrations and wider application of major energy-related technologies and scenarios, the green transformation of energy use in production and daily life, and coordinated reforms in energy consumption, supply, technology and institutions, alongside stronger international cooperation.

Experts said the energy revolution is essential both to safeguarding national energy security and to providing reliable support for the development of new quality productive forces.

Liu noted that the expansion of AI computing infrastructure, emerging industries and future industries all depends on a stable, clean and sufficient energy supply.

At the same time, the energy sector itself is an important source of new quality productive forces. Continued technological breakthroughs in wind and solar power equipment, advanced nuclear power and new-type energy storage can drive innovation and upgrading across entire industrial chains, he said.

Advancing the energy revolution will therefore help safeguard China's energy security while cultivating new growth drivers through technological innovation in the energy sector, Liu added.