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Yesterday, the “Opinions on Developing New-Quality Productive Forces” were officially released. The document outlines 19 key measures across five areas: scientific and technological innovation, industrial innovation, innovation in development models, innovation in institutional mechanisms, and innovation in talent development mechanisms. This document charts a clear course of action for developing new-quality productive forces and establishes a unified framework for thought and action. It is worth noting that the National Development and Reform Commission (NDRC) specifically emphasized that it is strictly prohibited to engage in predatory investment promotion, blindly “follow the trend” in launching projects, or recklessly “burn through funds” under the guise of developing new-quality productive forces, ensuring that efforts do not veer off course, become overly aggressive, or lead to the formation of bubbles.
Attracting investment has been, and remains, a key driver of local economic development. The central government has made this point very clear. In June 2026, at a joint session of the Standing Committee of the National People’s Congress, the National Development and Reform Commission (NDRC) explicitly stated that attracting investment is a vital means for local economic development.The upcoming changes will not center on “whether to attract investment,” but rather on deep-seated reforms regarding “how to attract it, what to attract, and how to evaluate it.” From the 15th Five-Year Plan to the blueprint for building a unified national market, and from the target ranges outlined in the Government Work Report to the comprehensive performance evaluation system for high-quality development, the policy signals are already very clear: the focus of performance evaluations is shifting from quantitative accumulation to
As the consolidation and restructuring of development zones continues, their “golden age” has come to an end. Looking back, the problems have centered on excessive numbers, overly large areas, and insufficient investment. This year in particular, adjustments to development zones in many regions have entered a substantive phase. In July, the Ministry of Commerce announced that five economic and technological development zones, which ranked at the bottom in performance evaluations, would be removed from the list of national-level economic and technological development zones. Liaoning’s provincial-level economic and technological development zones were reduced from 92 to 43; Shanxi “delisted” eight provincial-level economic and technological development zones… Behind this wave of closures and mergers lies a re-examination of the past expansion model of these development zones.
The business environment is becoming increasingly important for regional economic development. It is widely recognized that it is both a driver of productivity and a source of competitiveness. When discussing the business environment, the most common topics revolve around a few sets of figures: which approval documents have been eliminated, by how much processing times have been reduced, and how many procedures can now be completed in a single visit. While these are certainly important, a good business environment has never been limited to just these factors. Once a project is up and running, can the factory facilities be used? Is there sufficient power supply? Are there platforms available for R&D? And can the products find customers?
The All-China Federation of Industry and Commerce released the “2026 Top 500 Private Enterprises in China” list. The 500 companies generated a combined revenue of 44.9 trillion yuan, roughly equivalent to one-third of the country’s GDP in 2025. A decade ago, real estate companies dominated the Top 500 private enterprises list. Wanda and Vanke consistently ranked among the top ten, but looking at the latest 2026 list, not a single pure-play real estate company appears in the top ten. In just ten short years, real estate has gone from being a golden industry sought after by everyone to completely exiting the core arena of the private economy.
Inside the venue, as people exchanged remarks, the conversation gradually picked up. When investment promoters met colleagues from the same industry, they discussed the sectors and projects they were each focusing on. Companies seeking investment were also present, allowing the promoters to hear their investment plans firsthand. Everyone also pulled out their phones, downloaded User Link, and tried using it to search for projects and send messages. Whether at the registration desk, between seats, or in the Investment Network product experience area, interaction and communication never ceased. On September 17, the Investment Network’s “Evolution: Adapting with Resilience” closed-door exchange meeting concluded in Shenzhen. Here, investment professionals discussed challenges, spoke candidly, and banded together to find ways to break through the impasse.
In early September, the winds along the Yangtze River set the layered forests ablaze with color, while the Tibetan Plateau is bathed in clear skies and light clouds. A 2026 Lhasa Digital Economy Investment Promotion Conference, themed “Jiangsu-Lhasa Collaboration: Digital Revitalization of Tibet,” will be held on September 22 in Nanjing, Jiangsu Province. This is not merely a city promotion event, but a mutual endeavor between Jiangsu and Lhasa to deepen industrial collaboration and jointly advance the digital economy. The conference is hosted by the Lhasa Municipal People’s Government and the Jiangsu Provincial Front-line Command Center for Targeted Assistance to Lhasa, Tibet, and organized by the Lhasa High-Tech Zone (Liwu New District) Management Committee, the Lhasa Municipal Investment Promotion Bureau, and the Lhasa Municipal Bureau of Economy and Information Technology.
“The debt was incurred by previous administrations—why should I be the one to pay it back?” This was one of six typical cases of hidden debt reported last week by the Central Commission for Discipline Inspection. It is worth noting that in recent years, such cases have mostly been reported by the Ministry of Finance. This time, however, the General Office of the Central Commission for Discipline Inspection and the General Office of the Ministry of Finance issued the report jointly. Illegal borrowing and falsifying debt resolution figures are not merely economic issues; they are also political and disciplinary issues. The six cases involve Guizhou, Shaanxi, Jiangxi, Sichuan, Anhui, and Ningxia. Several Party and government leaders at the prefecture and city levels, as well as heads of government departments, development zones, and platform companies, have been held accountable. The crackdown on local government hidden debt and the pursuit of accountability have now fully entered a phase
The “98” Investment and Trade Fair is drawing to a close. With an exhibition area of 200,000 square meters, it is 80,000 square meters larger than the previous edition. Participants include 129 countries and regions, as well as more than 1,200 government and business delegations. The event features 14 specialized exhibition zones, 46 thematic activities, and 52 project roadshows. In terms of scale, this remains a massive investment event. However, for investment promoters, the focus is on the new trends emerging from the event. With this in mind, we have identified five key observations that are worth in-depth analysis. Local Promotions: Regional Collaboration Is Key to Competitiveness. In the past, city investment promotion efforts often focused solely on their own cities.
Various regions have already identified their key industries, and investment promotion professionals are continuously monitoring relevant companies. When the actual search for projects begins, the questions quickly become more specific. Which segments of the industrial chain should be restructured?Which companies are worth continuing to track? We are hosting a closed-door exchange event in Shenzhen precisely because these decisions are difficult to clarify in a single session. The key lies in analyzing each region, industrial park, and project on a case-by-case basis, and it is also worthwhile to hear the experiences of investment promotion professionals in your network. On September 17, the Investment Promotion Network’s “Evolution: Adapting with Resilience” closed-door exchange event will take place in Shenzhen.
In July of this year, the *Economic Daily* published an article titled “Industrial Relocation Must Avoid the Pitfall of ‘Duplicating Production Capacity,’” cautioning that the reception of industries should not be limited to simply “relocating factories” to another location, nor should it involve moving outdated and inefficient production methods to a new location merely to continue them there. For regions receiving industrial transfers, it is also important to clearly understand whether a project brings only the production process itself, or whether technology, orders, and upstream and downstream support systems will also follow.
Recently, the Shanxi Provincial Government approved the removal of eight development zones from the provincial-level development zone management system. Huang Qiang, Secretary of the Jilin Provincial Party Committee, stated bluntly that reform of development zones is a matter of “taking the initiative by reforming early, being forced to reform late, or facing a dead end if no reform is undertaken.” Chen Jining, Secretary of the Shanghai Municipal Party Committee, described this reform as a tough battle that must be won and carried out successfully during the 15th Five-Year Plan period. We have observed that many regions have placed development zone reform on the agenda of their provincial decision-making bodies. By reviewing publicly available information from the 31 provinces, autonomous regions, and municipalities, we can gauge the depth of this round of reform. Leading the Way: Public Statements Based on currently available public materials, Liaoning is one of the provinces with the
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