Building the "Shop in China" brand, promoting the "Export to China" brand, and enhancing the "Invest in China" brand... The year 2026 marks the beginning of the 15th Five-Year Plan. According to information obtained from the National Commerce Work Conference held in Beijing on January 10–11, the national commerce system will focus on eight key areas in 2026, including the in-depth implementation of initiatives to boost consumption. These eight areas cover consumption, circulation, trade, foreign investment, alignment with international rules, outbound investment, multilateral and bilateral economic and trade cooperation, and risk prevention and mitigation.

Specifically, the "in-depth implementation of initiatives to boost consumption" is the top priority, with efforts focused on building the "Shop in China" brand. The national commerce system will accelerate the cultivation of new growth points in service consumption, unleash the potential of service consumption, optimize policies for replacing old consumer goods, promote the expansion and upgrading of goods consumption, and create an internationalized consumption environment. It will also develop digital consumption, green consumption, and health consumption, while stimulating consumption vitality in lower-tier markets.

Improving modern markets and circulation systems is a key driver for advancing the development of a unified national market. The meeting proposed strengthening institutional safeguards, optimizing infrastructure and platforms, promoting innovation in the retail industry, improving the modern commercial circulation system, and deepening the development of pilot cities. It also emphasized advancing the integration of domestic and international trade.

China remains steadfast in leveraging the certainty of high-level opening-up to address the uncertainties of the external environment, deepening multilateral and bilateral economic and trade cooperation, and fostering win-win cooperation across multiple fields. The meeting proposed promoting innovation in trade and building the "Export to China" brand. This includes optimizing and upgrading goods trade, vigorously developing service trade, encouraging service exports, fostering innovation in digital trade and green trade, and promoting the integration of trade and investment.

In terms of attracting foreign investment, efforts will focus on shaping new advantages and enhancing the "Invest in China" brand. The meeting proposed expanding the autonomous opening of the service sector in an orderly manner, improving the level of investment promotion, and strengthening the service and support system for foreign investment.

The meeting called for aligning with high-standard international economic and trade rules and advancing the development of open highlands with greater intensity. This includes comprehensively and deeply implementing the strategy to upgrade pilot free trade zones, further improving the level of trade and investment liberalization and facilitation in the Hainan Free Trade Port, enhancing the quality and efficiency of open platforms, and successfully organizing key exhibitions.

As Chinese enterprises accelerate their "going global" efforts, the meeting proposed effectively implementing outbound investment management and guiding the rational and orderly cross-border layout of industrial and supply chains. It also emphasized improving the comprehensive overseas service system, deepening economic and trade cooperation under the Belt and Road Initiative, developing Silk Road e-commerce, and strengthening the supervision and risk prevention of overseas projects.

The meeting also outlined plans to actively engage in multilateral economic and trade cooperation, expand and enrich the free trade agreement network, improve the foreign-related legal system, and enhance export control and security review mechanisms.