China Unveils First National Policy for Heritage Industries
Six Chinese government departments have jointly issued a landmark policy document aimed at promoting the high-quality development of historical classic industries — traditional Chinese specialty sectors including silk, tea, porcelain, traditional Chinese medicine, brewing, arts and crafts, and the “Four Treasures of the Study.” The document, approved by the State Council and released on September 7, marks the first national-level industrial policy specifically targeting these heritage industries, according to Xinhua News.
The “Opinions on Promoting the High-Quality Development of Historical Classic Industries” was jointly issued by the Ministry of Industry and Information Technology (MIIT), Ministry of Human Resources and Social Security, Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Affairs, Ministry of Commerce, Ministry of Culture and Tourism, and State Administration for Market Regulation.
A Sector of National Significance
Historical classic industries represent a substantial economic force. According to incomplete statistics cited in the policy document, approximately 25,000 enterprises above designated size operate in representative historical classic industries, employing nearly 3.5 million workers with annual operating revenue of approximately 8 trillion yuan (about $1.1 trillion USD), as reported by China News Service.
The policy document describes these industries as “the crystallization of Chinese civilization’s wisdom and national treasures,” embodying the creativity of the working people and the Chinese nation’s pursuit of a better life over thousands of years. It emphasizes that developing these industries is an effective way to expand domestic demand and boost consumption, as well as an important part of inheriting Chinese civilization and enhancing cultural confidence.
Two-Stage Development Targets
The policy establishes ambitious two-stage targets. By 2028, China aims to cultivate 50 leading enterprises with 10-billion-yuan scale, shape 100 Chinese consumer name-brand products, and build several characteristic industrial clusters at the 100-billion-yuan scale. By 2030, the goal is to cultivate a batch of world-class enterprises and well-known brands, advancing toward the mid-to-high end of the global value chain, according to the full policy text published by Xinhua.
Five Pillars, Twenty Tasks
The policy outlines five major aspects with 20 specific work tasks. These include strengthening overall planning of historical classic industries, promoting inheritance and innovation through transformation and upgrading, fostering diversified and integrated development, cultivating a sound ecosystem for high-quality development, and accelerating international expansion.
Among the notable policy innovations is the formal inclusion of the brewing and fermentation industry in the “historical classic industries” category at the national level for the first time. As noted by China Baijiu Triangle, this marks a strategic shift from viewing the liquor industry as a “restricted industry” to one where “culture and economy are equally valued.”
The policy also emphasizes AI empowerment, with guidelines supporting the development of “future tea factories,” “smart pharmacies,” “intelligent kilns,” and “digital wineries.” Additionally, it calls for carbon footprint accounting for silk, tea, and porcelain enterprises, and introduces the “New Eight-Level Worker” vocational skill grading system for traditional craft talents.
Official Remarks at Press Conference
At a State Council Information Office press conference held on September 7, MIIT Vice Minister Xie Yuansheng described the document as “the first industrial policy document at the national level specifically formulated for historical classic industries.”
“Historical classic industries are traditional Chinese specialty industries with profound cultural heritage such as silk, tea, porcelain, traditional Chinese medicine, brewing, arts and crafts, and the Four Treasures of the Study,” Xie said. “They are the crystallization of Chinese civilization’s wisdom and national treasures.”
Xie noted that the world is undergoing profound changes unseen in a century, with the global industrial landscape being deeply restructured. “The international influence of Chinese civilization continues to rise, and historical classic industries are entering a critical period for optimization, upgrading, activating new momentum, and radiating new vitality,” he said.
Local Implementation Momentum
The policy builds on momentum already established at the provincial level, particularly in Zhejiang Province, which first proposed the concept of “historical classic industries” in 2015. Zhejiang has been a pioneer in this space — by the end of 2024, its historical classic industries achieved revenue of 140.8 billion yuan, up 5.4 percent year-on-year, according to Xinhua Zhejiang.
Local governments are also taking legislative action. In August 2026, Jinhua City passed China’s first local regulation specifically for the ham industry, a seven-chapter, 33-article law supporting innovation in the sector. The city’s ham industry chain generated 2.79 billion yuan in 2025, producing over 4.6 million hams, as reported by Zhejiang Online.
Enterprises are already embracing technological transformation. Wensli Silk, a Hangzhou-based company, uses AI large models for design with a database of more than 700,000 patterns, and has developed self-developed waterless printing technology that compresses production from 15 days to 5 minutes. The company’s innovations were showcased at the 2025 Osaka World Expo’s “Zhejiang Week,” where Zhejiang’s historical classic industries demonstrated their global appeal, as detailed by Zheshang Magazine.
Addressing Structural Challenges
The policy acknowledges significant challenges facing these industries, including insufficient systematic top-level design, relatively lagging brand development, insufficient depth of integrated development, and structural shortcomings in the talent pipeline.
To address these issues, the policy includes measures such as intellectual property pledge financing support using trademarks, patents, and copyrights; support for international market expansion through the Belt and Road Initiative, RCEP, and SCO platforms; and the establishment of an industry-wide resource information database.
Looking Ahead
The first Historical Classic Industries Expo is scheduled to be held in Hangzhou, Zhejiang Province, in late October 2026, which will systematically showcase the innovative development achievements of these industries.
As Xie noted, this year marks the beginning of China’s “15th Five-Year Plan” period. The MIIT will work with relevant departments to scientifically plan policy measures for the development of historical classic industries, building on the recently issued policies for the brewing, tea, and traditional Chinese medicine sectors.
The policy represents a significant step in China’s broader strategy to balance cultural preservation with economic modernization — recognizing that these ancient industries, far from being relics of the past, are positioned to play a vital role in China’s future economic landscape and global cultural influence.