China: Under its Five-Year Plan, China will take strong action against hostile forces engaging in infiltration, sabotage, subversion, or separatism.

China: Under its Five-Year Plan, China will take strong action against hostile forces engaging in infiltration, sabotage, subversion, or separatism.

China’s 15th Five-Year Plan (2026–2030) underscores a heightened focus on national security, with explicit measures to counter perceived threats from hostile forces. The plan emphasizes the need to address infiltration, sabotage, subversion, and separatism, particularly in regions such as Taiwan, Xinjiang, and Hong Kong, where the government views external interference as a risk to political stability according to the plan. The Ministry of State Security (MSS) has outlined a “Five Anti-Struggles” framework, prioritizing resistance to subversion, foreign hegemony, separatism, terrorism, and espionage as detailed in official sources. This aligns with broader policy directives from the Communist Party’s Fourth Plenum, which highlighted the necessity of strengthening “the national security shield” amid escalating geopolitical tensions according to policy analysis.

The plan also integrates military and technological strategies to reinforce domestic control and deter external challenges. For instance, advancements in artificial intelligence and surveillance systems are being prioritized to enhance intelligence operations and monitor potential dissent as outlined in security reports. Additionally, the government has pledged to expand its extraterritorial legal tools, such as the 2021 Anti-Foreign Sanctions Law, to counter economic coercion and protect overseas interests according to legal analysis. These measures reflect a shift toward proactive security posturing, with the MSS tasked to develop a “modern, technologically driven” apparatus capable of addressing both internal and external threats as stated in official documents.

Economically, the plan seeks to reduce vulnerabilities by accelerating self-reliance in critical technologies, such as semiconductors and rare-earth materials, while tightening regulations on foreign investment and data flows according to economic analysis. This dual emphasis on security and technological autonomy aims to insulate China from external pressures while reinforcing its geopolitical influence. However, analysts caution that such policies could heighten tensions with countries reliant on Chinese supply chains or critical to Beijing’s strategic interests as noted by international observers. The 15th Five-Year Plan thus signals a decisive phase in China’s approach to national security, blending domestic consolidation with assertive international engagement.