State Council Notice on Issuing the 14th Five-Year Plan for Digital Economy Development

The State Council has released the "14th Five-Year Plan for Digital Economy Development" (Document No. Guo Fa [2021] No. 29) to guide provinces, autonomous regions, municipalities, ministries and agencies in implementing the plan.

Development status and form : China’s digital economy, now a major economic form after agriculture and industry, accounts for 7.8% of GDP (2020). The nation leads globally in fiber‑optic and 4G networks, rapidly expands 5G, and achieves high broadband penetration. Digital transformation is advancing across agriculture, services, industry, and government, while new business models such as e‑commerce, mobile payment, online education, and livestreaming flourish.

Overall requirements : Guided by Xi Jinping’s Thought, the plan emphasizes innovation‑driven, data‑enabled integration of digital technology with the real economy, strengthening infrastructure, improving governance, and promoting coordinated development, security, and fairness.

Key objectives (by 2025) : Digital‑core industry value‑added to reach 10% of GDP, significant boost in digital innovation, higher intelligence levels, deep integration of digital technology with the real economy, and a more complete digital‑economy governance system.

Infrastructure upgrades : Accelerate construction of high‑speed, ubiquitous, cloud‑network‑integrated, green, low‑carbon, and secure digital infrastructure, including 5G/6G, satellite communications, and IoT for industry, agriculture, and public services.

Data element development : Strengthen high‑quality data supply, establish data‑element market rules, promote data standardisation, secure data handling, and enable market‑based data circulation, pricing, and trading while safeguarding privacy and security.

Industry digital transformation : Support enterprises—especially SMEs—in adopting cloud, data, and AI, promote digital upgrades in agriculture, manufacturing, services, and industrial parks, and foster new business models such as platform economies, smart manufacturing, and digital commerce.

Digital industry promotion : Enhance core technology innovation (sensors, quantum, networking, IC, AI, blockchain, big data), improve competitiveness of core industries, and cultivate new digital business formats.

Public service digitalisation : Improve "Internet + government" services, expand digital access to education, health, culture, and social welfare, and promote smart city and digital‑rural integration.

Governance and security : Build a coordinated digital‑economy governance framework, strengthen market regulation, credit systems, and antitrust enforcement; enhance network and data security, develop emergency response mechanisms, and protect personal information.

International cooperation : Advance digital trade, the "Digital Silk Road", and multilateral cooperation on standards, blockchain‑based trust services, and cross‑border data flows, while safeguarding a secure, open cyberspace.

Support measures : Establish inter‑ministerial coordination, increase funding, improve digital literacy and talent cultivation, launch pilot demonstrations, and strengthen monitoring and evaluation to ensure effective implementation of the plan.