During an official inspection visit to Shandong province on February 2, 2026, Chinese Premier Li Qiang emphasized the critical importance of advancing regional development while simultaneously enhancing public welfare and strengthening economic momentum through more substantial and effective measures.
As a senior member of the Standing Committee of the Political Bureau of the Communist Party of China Central Committee, Premier Li identified smart manufacturing as the cornerstone for driving technological transformation and industrial modernization. He specifically highlighted the necessity of actively deploying artificial intelligence technologies to comprehensively restructure the entire production and manufacturing chain throughout its complete lifecycle.
The Premier’s agenda included detailed briefings on Shandong’s energy infrastructure development and nuclear power initiatives. He stressed the vital need for coordinated efforts in constructing and safely operating clean energy projects, while simultaneously enhancing technological capabilities and regulatory supervision to bolster support for establishing a contemporary energy system.
In a significant policy development, Premier Li presided over a symposium to gather expert opinions and recommendations concerning the draft government work report and the preliminary outline of the 15th Five-Year Plan for Economic and Social Development. During these discussions, he urged governmental authorities at all levels to capitalize on their regional comparative advantages and actively cultivate new growth drivers.
Premier Li outlined several priority areas for concentrated development efforts, including the establishment of new quality productive forces adapted to local conditions, the improvement of domestic economic circulation mechanisms, and the promotion of employment opportunities alongside resident income growth. These initiatives are expected to form the foundation of China’s development strategy through the latter half of the 2020s.