5 March 2026 year during the opening of the National People's Congress (VZNP) announced the inclusion of the space industry in the list of strategic support industries, and also established the main goals for the next five years. The move signals Beijing's intention to expand the space sector beyond strategic government programs into a larger industrial ecosystem, covering launch services, satellites and downstream data applications. Premier Li Qiang's report stated, that China will "encourage central state-owned enterprises and other state-owned companies to take the initiative in making application scenarios available". China's main space contractor CASC has already announced plans to expand into new areas earlier this year, such as space resources and digital infrastructure in orbit, during the 15th Five Year Plan period (2026–2030).
The National People's Congress is part of China's annual political sessions, which are held in March every year in Beijing. Every five years VZNP approves a new five-year plan, which outlines the country's goals and strategy for the next five years. Project of the 15th five-year national economic plan of China, covering the period 2026-2030, spread on the Internet after the opening of the VZNP.
In an unofficial translation, published online by the independent research site NPC Observer, it is about breakthroughs in frontier technologies, including AI, quantum science and biotechnology, there is also a segment on China's deep space ambitions. One of the passages defines the implementation of the second phase of planetary research projects, protection from near-Earth asteroids and exploration of the edge of the solar system. The section on deep space also notes the development goals of reusable heavy launch vehicles. This may refer to the Long March series 10 and the larger Long March 9. In the text, among other things, the construction of the International Lunar Research Station is mentioned (ILRS) and "implementation of monthly research projects". The last one, probably, is a reference to China's stated goal of landing the first astronauts on the moon before 2030 year.
Simultaneously, according to the project, China will comprehensively promote satellite Internet including the launch segment and satellite clusters. Plans include creating an integrated sky-earth-ground system, which connects the connection, Navigation, sensing and computing. The application and internationalization of the Beidou navigation system will also be expanded, the first satellites of the new generation are planned to be launched in approx 2027 year. The chapter on commercial space calls for breakthroughs in space computing, design of rockets and satellites, reusable media, of complex orbital constructions and situational awareness in space.
Source: https://spacenews.com