China Prioritizes High-Tech Over Domestic Consumption

China's new five-year plan released earlier this month and the National People's Congress work report last week prioritize high-tech and AI development while setting an annual growth target of 4.5–5 percent. The documents frame technological self-reliance as a response to perceived US strategic threats and call for decisive breakthroughs in core technologies. The plan sidelines substantial domestic stimulus and property-market fixes, increasing export dependence and raising risks of global protectionism.