China Unveils Rule of Law Agenda for 15th Five-Year Plan

Chinese authorities have laid out an extensive roadmap for advancing the rule of law as a cornerstone of the country’s 15th Five-Year Plan (2026–2030), with six senior officials detailing legislative priorities, business environment reforms, and new legal frameworks for artificial intelligence and the digital economy at a press conference on May 27.

The State Council Information Office convened the briefing as part of its “Getting Off to a Good Start for the ‘15th Five-Year Plan’” series, signaling that legal system modernization is a central pillar of China’s development strategy for the next five years. Officials from the Central Political and Legal Affairs Commission, the National People’s Congress (NPC), the Supreme People’s Court, the Supreme People’s Procuratorate, the Ministry of Public Security, and the Ministry of Justice all presented their respective agendas.

Legislative Progress and 2026 Agenda

According to Xinhua News Agency, the 14th NPC Standing Committee has completed 58 of 79 first-category legislative items scheduled for its term, achieving a completion rate of 73.4%. Huang Wei, Deputy Director of the NPC Standing Committee’s Legislative Affairs Commission, described the 2026 legislative agenda as covering matters “some bearing on the ‘great affairs of the nation’ and some focusing on ‘key small matters,’” all tied to the implementation of the 15th Five-Year Plan’s objectives.

Laws to be formulated this year include the Farmland Protection and Quality Improvement Law, State Assets Law, Financial Law, Financial Stability Law, Social Assistance Law, Medical Security Law, Childcare Service Law, and Anti-Cross-Border Corruption Law. Laws slated for amendment include the Enterprise Bankruptcy Law, Banking Supervision Law, Teacher Law, and Road Traffic Safety Law.

Business Environment and Law Enforcement Reform

A major focus of the press conference was the government’s effort to address concerns about arbitrary law enforcement affecting businesses. Yang Weilin, Vice Minister of Public Security, reported that a special campaign launched in 2025 to regulate enterprise-related law enforcement had corrected 57,000 issues. The campaign resulted in the lifting of seizures on assets worth 1.38 billion yuan (approximately $190 million), the return of 2.22 billion yuan in frozen funds, and the release of 8.98 billion yuan by modifying or lifting frozen accounts affecting 199,000 accounts, as People’s Daily reported.

Wu Zeng, Vice Minister of Justice, announced that the ministry will formulate regulations for building a national unified large market and accelerate comprehensive legislation on AI development and the low-altitude economy. Wu also pledged to strengthen protections for lawyers, stating the ministry would “weave a dense ‘institutional net’ for protecting lawyers’ rights, so that lawyers can practice with a greater sense of honor and fulfillment.”

AI, Data Rights, and Digital Economy

Liu Guixiang, a full-time member of the Supreme People’s Court’s Adjudication Committee at the vice-ministerial level, said the court is studying normative documents on judicial protection involving AI and data property rights. The SPC aims to improve adjudication rules on data ownership, data transactions, and AI-generated content to promote the deep integration of digital technology with the real economy, according to the Xinhua report.

Judicial Oversight and Anti-Corruption

Miao Shengming, Deputy Procurator-General of the Supreme People’s Procuratorate, outlined plans to strengthen prosecutorial supervision over case filing, investigation, trial, and enforcement activities. He emphasized that the SPP would focus on compulsory measures involving citizens’ personal rights and property seizures. “We will lawfully conduct procuratorial investigations, investigate and punish judicial personnel who commit crimes such as bending the law for personal gain, illegal detention, and extorting confessions by torture, and severely punish judicial corruption,” Miao said, as People’s Daily reported.

Grassroots Governance and Dispute Resolution

Teng Jiguo, Deputy Secretary-General of the Central Political and Legal Affairs Commission, highlighted the expansion of comprehensive governance centers (综治中心) as a key mechanism for maintaining social stability. China has established 2,849 county-level centers, achieving full coverage of all county-level administrative divisions. In 2025 alone, these centers facilitated the resolution of 9.764 million disputes through legal means, drawing on the “Fengqiao Experience” — a grassroots mediation model originating from Zhejiang Province.

Strategic Context

The rule of law push comes as China’s 15th Five-Year Plan represents what the World Economic Forum describes as a “recalibrated strategy for a world that looks far more unpredictable than it did five years ago.” Legal system modernization directly supports the plan’s priorities by creating a stable business environment, strengthening intellectual property protection for innovation-driven growth, and building legal frameworks for emerging sectors.

What’s Next

Later this year, China will formulate and implement its “95 Five-Year” Popular Legal Education Plan, deepening citizens’ legal literacy initiatives. The NPC Standing Committee is also expected to begin drafting the next-term legislative plan in 2027. The success of these initiatives will depend on implementation at local levels and the practical enforcement of the legal protections outlined at the press conference.