By Zhao Zhijin – Anchor and Deputy Producer at CGTN‑French
On March 4, 2026, China officially entered the “Two Sessions period.” On March 5, Premier Li Qiang delivered the highly anticipated government work report. His forward‑looking remarks on the development of aviation and astronautics immediately caught my attention.
For the first time, the report designates aviation and astronautics as an “emerging key industry.” It sets a clear path for the development of China’s space sector during the 15th Five‑Year Plan (2026–2030).
During this period, technological independence and cost revolution will be the main priorities. The report specifies the need to promote reusable launch vehicles and reduce the cost of low‑Earth‑orbit satellite constellations. Thus, 2026 is considered the “year of reusability.” Technological advances in models such as the Long March 10 will significantly reduce the cost of access to space. Development models are also diversifying. Synergy between the “national team and commercial space” is becoming a new paradigm. China will open its research facilities, frequency and orbital resources, as well as its ground control stations. It will create a fund to support commercial space development and assist companies listed on the STAR Market. The goal: raise the share of commercial launches to 60% in 2026 — an ambitious target. Commercial entities will also participate in emerging fields such as in‑space manufacturing, on‑orbit servicing, and space debris removal, forming a “large‑scale astronautics” ecosystem with full industrial collaboration.
It is expected that China will continue producing landmark achievements in deep‑space exploration and space science. During the 15th Five‑Year Plan, China aims to pursue its objective of a crewed lunar mission by 2030. It will deepen the use of its space station and carry out Shenzhou crewed missions and Tianzhou cargo missions. At the same time, the “Origins of Space Exploration” program will launch scientific satellites such as Hongmeng and Kuafu II, enabling original breakthroughs in cutting‑edge fields such as the origins of the universe and exoplanet detection.
But development does not mean exclusivity. China’s space efforts consistently uphold the principle of the peaceful use of outer space while maintaining a highly open and proactive attitude toward international cooperation. During the 15th Five‑Year Plan, China clearly plans to further expand global BeiDou services, deepen China‑Brazil space cooperation, promote the international expansion of commercial space companies, and participate in the formulation of international rules such as space traffic management.
From laying the foundations of key industries to expanding the frontiers of deep‑space exploration, China’s astronautics under the 15th Five‑Year Plan will contribute Chinese wisdom and strength to the peaceful use of outer space for humanity — with ever‑greater openness and increasingly significant advances.