Recently, the National Development and Reform Commission, the Ministry of Housing and Urban–Rural Development, the Ministry of Transport, the Ministry of Finance, and several other departments convened a working conference to review and summarize their 2025 achievements and to plan and deploy key priorities and tasks for 2026—many of which are closely linked to the construction sector.

NDRC: Leverage the role of government investment funds, including “dual‑priority” projects and local special-purpose bonds.

The National Development and Reform Work Conference emphasized that the development and reform system must accurately grasp the overarching requirements for next year’s economic work and, in line with its functions, earnestly carry out the key tasks of development and reform for 2026.

Adopt a multi-pronged approach to halt the decline and stabilize investment. Fully leverage the role of various government investment funds, including projects under the “Two Priorities” initiative and newly issued local government special bonds; appropriately increase the scale of central budgetary investment; continue to harness the effectiveness of new policy-based financial instruments; and steadily enhance investment returns. With an eye toward the 15th Five-Year Plan, we will plan and implement major engineering projects. Further clarify investment guidelines, ensure rigorous preparatory work, and strengthen project‑level coordination and oversight. Deeply implement a series of measures to promote the development of private investment, thereby effectively boosting its dynamism.

Comprehensively address “involutionary” competition and foster new drivers of growth. Improve capacity management in key industries and macro‑regulation of major infrastructure projects; vigorously cultivate and expand emerging and future‑oriented industries; nurture a number of nascent pillar sectors; and deepen and broaden the “AI Plus” initiative.

Further deepen reform across the board. Formulate regulations for building a unified national market and coordinate the integrated reform of “market access, application scenarios, and production factors.” Continue to address key issues in investment promotion, tendering, and bidding, and resolutely dismantle all barriers and obstacles. Vigorously develop the private sector and vigorously advance the development of supporting systems for the Law on Promoting the Development of the Private Sector.

Deepen and expand high-standard opening-up. Steadily advance institutional openness, coordinate efforts to both attract foreign investment and encourage Chinese enterprises to go global, and promote the high-quality development of the Belt and Road Initiative.

Guided by the “dual carbon” goals, we will accelerate the comprehensive green transformation. We will steadily implement the dual-control system for both the total volume and intensity of carbon emissions, refine supporting mechanisms, strengthen evaluation and assessment, and strictly regulate the approval of new high‑carbon and high‑energy‑consumption projects.

Ministry of Housing and Urban–Rural Development: Focus on advancing work in four key areas, including the development of modern, people-centered cities.

The National Housing and Urban–Rural Development Work Conference emphasized that, in 2026, priority will be given to four key areas: advancing the development of modern, people-centered cities; ensuring stability in the real estate market; accelerating the quality improvement and upgrading of the construction industry; and strengthening the foundational support for high-quality development.

In advancing the modernization of people-centered urban development, this entails carrying out urban renewal initiatives with high quality, implementing “two priorities” and “two new” projects to a high standard, promoting urban governance with greater efficiency, building civilized cities to rigorous standards, and fostering integrated urban–rural development at a high level.

Efforts to stabilize the real estate market include implementing city-specific policies to curb new supply, reduce inventory, and improve housing supply; further leveraging the “whitelist” system for real estate projects; and accelerating the development of a new model for real estate growth.

Accelerating the quality improvement and upgrading of the construction industry involves promoting industrial transformation and upgrading, standardizing market order, and strengthening on-site supervision and management.

Strengthening the foundational support for high-quality development encompasses enhancing the rule of law, advancing digital and intelligent capabilities, bolstering science and technology talent, reinforcing public communication, and intensifying international exchanges and cooperation.

Ministry of Transport: Accelerate the completion of the main framework of the national integrated three-dimensional transportation network.

The National Transportation Work Conference emphasized that, to deliver on transportation tasks for 2026, it is essential to pursue progress while maintaining stability and to enhance quality and efficiency, striving to achieve new breakthroughs in improving the infrastructure network, reducing society-wide logistics costs, and fostering the development of new‑type productive forces.

Improve the national integrated and multi-dimensional transportation network. Accelerate the completion of the main backbone of this network, vigorously implement upgrades and digital‑intelligent transformations of transport infrastructure, and strengthen project pipelines and resource support.

Enhance the nation’s capacity to provide strategic support and guarantees. Advance the construction of major cross‑regional and cross‑basin transportation corridors, accelerate the integrated development of urban agglomerations and the metropolitan‑area integration process, promote the all‑round revitalization of rural areas, and comprehensively ensure national security.

Deepen international cooperation and opening-up in the transport sector. Support high-quality joint efforts to build the Belt and Road Initiative, implement the Global Governance Initiative, and strengthen the international transport corridor network.

Firmly safeguard the bottom line of transportation safety and stability. Improve the safety production supervision system, strengthen proactive measures to mitigate natural disasters, enhance the intrinsic safety of infrastructure, and deepen the development of the emergency response system.

Ministry of Finance: Continue to implement a more proactive fiscal policy.

The National Fiscal Work Conference stated that, in 2026, a more proactive fiscal policy will continue to be implemented. First, the scale of fiscal spending will be expanded to ensure adequate funding for essential expenditures. Second, the mix of government bond instruments will be optimized to better leverage the effectiveness of bond financing. Third, the efficiency of transfer payments will be enhanced to strengthen local governments’ autonomous and available fiscal resources. Fourth, the expenditure structure will be continuously refined to bolster support for key priority areas. Fifth, coordination between fiscal and financial policies will be strengthened to amplify policy impact.

Key fiscal priorities for 2026 include: advancing urban–rural integration and regional coordination to expand development space; steadily promoting all-round rural revitalization, actively supporting people-centered new‑type urbanization, and fostering balanced regional development; driving a comprehensive green transformation of economic and social development and accelerating the building of a Beautiful China. In addition, efforts will be stepped up to win the battle against pollution, strengthen ecosystem protection and restoration, improve policies supporting green and low‑carbon development, and coordinate carbon reduction, pollution control, greening, and growth to bolster momentum for green development.

National Energy Administration: Leveraging Major Projects to Drive the Implementation of Energy Plans

The National Energy Work Conference outlined key tasks for 2026. The meeting emphasized that energy work in 2026 should remain firmly focused on the central theme of energy development, strive to secure a strong start to the 15th Five-Year Plan period, and provide robust energy support for the advancement of Chinese-style modernization.

Develop and implement the 15th Five-Year Energy Plan to high quality and with stringent standards. Devote full effort to planning and coordination, enhancing the scientific rigor, foresight, and proactive nature of energy planning, and fostering a unified national energy‑planning framework. Leverage major projects to drive the effective implementation of the plan, refine timelines, roadmaps, and priority sequences, and strengthen annual planning and scheduling.

Solidly advance the green and low-carbon transformation of the energy sector. Continuously increase the share of new energy in the energy mix, adding over 200 million kilowatts of installed wind and solar capacity this year; steadily push forward major hydropower projects; actively, safely, and orderly develop nuclear power; and strengthen the clean and efficient utilization of fossil fuels.

Ministry of Natural Resources: Continuously advancing reform and innovation in land and space planning management.

The National Conference on Natural Resources emphasized that the natural resources sector bears a significant responsibility and enjoys a noble mission in optimizing the spatial development pattern of the country, safeguarding national resource security, and advancing the building of a Beautiful China. In the inaugural year of the 15th Five-Year Plan, priority should be given to ten key areas of work.

Key priorities include continuously advancing the “Four Integrations,” breaking down silos between departments and bureaus, fostering coordinated and efficient inter‑departmental collaboration to drive priority initiatives, proactively engaging in communication and coordination with relevant agencies, and working in concert with provincial authorities to deliver tangible results. We will also press ahead with the development of the “One Map” initiative, strengthening top‑level design, implementing comprehensive data governance, building a nationwide unified “One Map” portal, and refining the institutional framework for its construction and operation. Furthermore, we will continue to reform and innovate land‑space planning management, establishing an end‑to‑end management system for territorial spatial planning, conducting planning assessments and refinements, and proactively aligning with key projects slated for the 15th Five-Year Plan period while coordinating their spatial allocation.

As 2026 marks the inaugural year of the 15th Five-Year Plan, policy signals emanating from inter‑departmental working meetings have clearly outlined the guiding principles for the year ahead. For the construction sector, this represents a comprehensive package of measures spanning macro‑level investment, market regulation, and industry transformation. Under the coordinated impetus of these policies, the path toward a new stage of high‑quality, digital, and green development in the construction industry has become increasingly clear.