The full text of the much-anticipated "Outline of the 15th Five-Year Plan for National Economic and Social Development of Henan Province" has been recently released, setting goals and defining pathways for the province's development over the next five years. As the provincial capital, how will Zhengzhou seize opportunities and exert its strength? The answers lie within this development outline.
The Outline sets the main goals for the "15th Five-Year Plan" period. The strategic direction involves focusing on "five coordinated advancements" to support and lead modernization through breakthroughs in key areas. These include coordinating the expansion of domestic demand with supply optimization, integrating into the national unified market, and deepening supply-side structural reforms. It also emphasizes balancing the cultivation of new growth drivers with the renewal of old ones, prioritizing the development of new quality productive forces tailored to local conditions, and fully stimulating the vitality of various innovation entities. Coordinating new urbanization with agricultural modernization is another key aspect, relying on the construction of the Zhengzhou metropolitan area to promote coordinated and specialized development among cities and towns, accelerating the formation of a new pattern of integrated urban-rural development. The plan also calls for coordinating deep-level reforms with high-standard opening-up to build a new system for a higher-level open economy, and balancing high-quality development with efficient governance to foster positive interaction between high-quality development and high-level security.
The Outline specifies the main objectives: by 2030, significant new achievements will be made in implementing major national strategic tasks, with comprehensive strength and regional competitiveness markedly enhanced, and the role of the major economic province in shouldering greater responsibilities becoming more prominent. Major progress will be achieved in high-quality development and efficient governance, with notable results in building a modern industrial system, strengthening agriculture, improving people's livelihoods, enhancing social governance, protecting the ecological environment, and promoting cultural prosperity.
The plan aims to strengthen Zhengzhou as a national central city, promoting the integration of the Central Plains urban agglomeration and the Zhengzhou metropolitan area. It emphasizes enhancing Zhengzhou's leading role as a central city and continuously improving the comprehensive strength, core competitiveness, and regional influence of the Zhengzhou metropolitan area. Efforts will focus on strengthening Zhengzhou's core functions in hub opening-up, technological innovation, education and culture, and financial services. The city will build major innovation and industrial platforms, enhance its capacity to attract and host high-end factors and premium industries, and establish itself as a base for advanced manufacturing, a hub for technological innovation, a center for hub economy, and a gateway for opening-up. The pilot comprehensive reform for market-based allocation of factors will be completed with high quality. The development model of megacities will be accelerated, with general manufacturing, regional logistics bases, and specialized markets—non-core functional facilities—being relocated to surrounding areas.
The development capacity of sub-central cities will be elevated. Luoyang will be strengthened as the sub-central city of the Central Plains urban agglomeration, promoting integrated development with Jiyuan and enhancing the functions of Nanyang as a provincial sub-central city.
A modern Zhengzhou metropolitan area will be constructed by improving the institutional mechanisms for its integrated development. The main engines of Zhengzhou (Port), Kaifeng, and Xuchang will be strengthened, promoting the qualitative development of Zhengzhou-Kaifeng integration. High-standard construction of the Zhengzhou-Kaifeng Integrated Development Demonstration Zone and Zhongmu New District will proceed, creating the Zhengzhou-Kaifeng Science and Technology Innovation Corridor, the Zhengzhou-Kaifeng Automotive Industry Belt, and the Xuchang Port Precision Manufacturing Industry Belt. Emerging growth centers within the metropolitan area will be cultivated and expanded, with enhanced differentiated coordination between Zhengzhou and Luoyang. Jiaozuo, Xinxiang, Pingdingshan, and Luohe will strengthen functional connectivity and industrial complementarity with Zhengzhou. The intercity commuting efficiency improvement project for the Zhengzhou metropolitan area will be implemented to form a one-hour efficient commuting circle.
Acceleration will be given to building two major urban development belts along the Beijing-Guangzhou Railway and the Longhai Railway, leveraging Zhengzhou's radiating and driving role. Cities along the Yellow River, Huai River, Hai River, and Yangtze River basins will be connected to shape interconnected and regionally coordinated urban development zones. County-level economies will be encouraged to develop competitively at multiple points, with timely adjustments to expand the socio-economic management authority of county-level cities and特大镇 (exceptionally large towns) with large economic scales and rapid population growth.
A long-term mechanism for expanding resident consumption will be accelerated, adhering to the strategic focus of expanding domestic demand, effectively破除 various market barriers, and building a national unified market circulation hub and a dual-circulation pivot for domestic and international markets. The Outline proposes vigorously boosting consumption, enhancing residents' consumption capacity, coordinating efforts to promote employment, increase income, and stabilize expectations to accelerate the formation of a long-term mechanism for expanding resident consumption. The consumption environment will be continuously optimized by building 50 key business districts, 500一刻钟便民生活圈 (15-minute convenient living circles), and 50特色商业街区 (characteristic commercial streets), creating night economy clusters, and cultivating特色消费城市 (characteristic consumption cities). New forms of consumption will be accelerated, creating a batch of "artificial intelligence + consumption" scenarios. Trustworthy consumption stores, online shops, live streaming rooms, and factories will be cultivated as basic units, building trustworthy consumption markets, business districts, and scenic spots. Systems such as paid leave will be implemented, encouraging flexible and staggered vacations, and exploring the implementation of spring and autumn breaks for primary and secondary school students.
Investment's key role in expanding domestic demand, stabilizing growth, promoting transformation, and benefiting people's livelihoods will be enhanced. The Outline proposes expanding effective investment in areas such as major strategy implementation, cultivation of new quality productive forces, industrial transformation, urban renewal, rural revitalization, green ecology, social and people's livelihood improvement, and security capacity enhancement. The function of supporting and serving the national unified market construction will be elevated, fully leveraging the advantages of the "air, land, digital, and sea" Silk Road channels. Led by the Zhengzhou-Luxembourg "Air Silk Road," a high-quality共建 "Belt and Road" integration pivot connecting Europe and Asia and radiating globally will be created. Open platforms such as the Zhengzhou Airport Economy Comprehensive Experimental Zone, Free Trade Pilot Zone, ports, and comprehensive bonded zones will be promoted for协同联动, creating a foreign trade pivot for nationwide goods circulation and global trade.
Based on the new development stage, the Outline proposes advancing the construction of "six strong provinces"—agriculture, manufacturing, science and education, digital intelligence, transportation, and culture and tourism—to consolidate the foundation for Henan's comprehensive rise.
In building a strong agricultural province, efforts will focus on safeguarding the "Central Plains Granary," implementing a new round of行动 to increase grain production capacity by 100 billion jin, and ensuring stable grain播种面积 of over 161 million mu. New quality productive forces in agriculture will be developed, upgrading the agricultural industry system across the entire chain, and building livable, workable, and beautiful villages. Quality improvement in integrated urban-rural development will be推进, deepening agricultural and rural reforms.
For building a strong manufacturing province, efforts will focus on strengthening industries related to "original," "old," "new," and "foreign" sectors. Traditional industries will be optimized and upgraded, emerging industries cultivated and expanded, and future industries前瞻布局, creating a formation of manufacturing enterprises. Supportive services will be vigorously developed,赋能型服务业提质发展,成长型服务业培育发展, promoting the integrated development of modern services and advanced manufacturing. Reforms and development of industrial parks will be深化, building a modern park matrix.
In building a strong province in science and education, a technological innovation belt along the Yellow River will be created, promoting reform, innovation, and development of the Zhengzhou-Luoyang-Xinxiang National Independent Innovation Demonstration Zone. The leading role of Zhongyuan Science and Technology City, Zhongyuan Medical Science City, and Zhongyuan Agricultural Valley will be strengthened, with continuous advancement in "Smart Island" construction.原始创新 and key core technology攻关 will be加强,推进 the construction of the Zhengzhou National Intellectual Property Protection Demonstration Zone, and optimizing the layout of the National Technology Transfer Zhengzhou Center and its branches.
For building a strong province in digital intelligence, the "Artificial Intelligence +" action will be fully implemented, constructing a digital infrastructure system. The expansion and upgrade of the Zhengzhou National Internet Backbone Direct Connection Point will be推进, striving to create a national new-type internet exchange center. Computing power infrastructure will be统筹布局, building a computing power cluster centered on Zhengzhou. The Henan Blockchain Hub will be constructed, creating a regional functional node for national data infrastructure. Pilot construction of data circulation and utilization infrastructure based on data components in Zhengzhou will be推动, accelerating the national innovation and development pilot for Zhengzhou's urban trusted data space. Deep integration of the real economy and digital economy will be promoted,推进 the construction of the Zhengzhou National New Generation Artificial Intelligence Innovation and Development Pilot Zone, and deepening industrial digital and intelligent transformation.
In building a strong transportation province, a comprehensive transportation channel pattern of "five verticals and five horizontals, diagonal interconnection, and four-direction opening" that畅通国内 and通达全球 will be constructed. The high-speed railway network will be accelerated and improved,公路网络 optimized and完善, with busy sections expanded and bottleneck sections and nodes upgraded. The "two verticals, two horizontals, and four main lines" high-grade航道网 and modern port construction will be accelerated. A "one hub, multiple branches" civil airport pattern will be构建. Planning for low-altitude public air routes will be undertaken,完善 vertical take-off and landing and other low-altitude infrastructure. The passenger and freight layout of the Zhengzhou railway hub will be optimized, enhancing the functions of the Zhengzhou International Air Cargo Hub and International Postal Express Hub, and high-standard打造 of the Zhengzhou International Comprehensive Transportation Hub.
For building a strong province in culture and tourism, the essence and multiple values of河洛文化,黄帝文化, and other cultures will be挖掘. The culture and tourism industry will be cultivated into a pillar industry, implementing the "Micro-short Drama +" action plan, and promoting innovative development of Zhengzhou's new-type online audiovisual industry. The "Walking Henan, Reading China" culture and tourism brand will be擦亮,加强 promotion of cultural IPs such as "Hometown Henan," "The Yellow River Under Heaven," "Ancient Capitals of China," and "Chinese Kung Fu," enhancing the influence of the "Two Fists" brand of Tai Chi and Shaolin, and root-seeking cultural activities. The "Attracting Visitors to Henan" action will be implemented.
Deepening reforms and expanding high-standard opening-up will better leverage the牵引作用 of economic system reform,深化 reforms in key areas and critical links. The Outline proposes fully stimulating the vitality of various business entities and creating a favorable environment for investment and entrepreneurship. State-owned assets and enterprise reforms will be深化, promoting optimization of state-owned economic布局 and结构调整, enhancing the core functions and competitiveness of state-owned enterprises. High-quality development of the private economy will be promoted,完善 supporting policy systems for private economic development, and expanding the private economy. Market-based allocation reform of factors will be深入推进, establishing and improving a unified urban-rural construction land market. Capital market vitality will be stimulated, strengthening the advantages of the Zhengzhou Commodity Exchange in futures trading and pricing. Institutional barriers in household registration, social security, professional titles, archives, and other aspects will be gradually broken.
The Outline明确,坚定不移 implementing a more proactive and open strategy,推动 forming a new pattern of opening-up with broader scope, wider fields, and deeper levels. The "Air, Land, Digital, and Sea" Silk Roads will be提质增效,深化拓展 the Zhengzhou-Luxembourg "Dual Hub" cooperation model, creating a "dual hub" cooperation system辐射五大洲 and an空中经济廊道 linking global major economies. The capacity of the Zhengzhou China-Europe Railway Express Assembly Center will be提升,高标建设 and operating the Zhengzhou International Land Port, optimizing and丰富 the logistics channels and route布局 of China-Europe (Asia) Railway Express. The quality improvement action for cross-border e-commerce comprehensive pilot zones will be implemented,持续推进 "Silk Road E-commerce" cross-border RMB settlement. Inland river ports will be accelerated to integrate into the integrated development of "Silk Road Maritime" ports, shipping, and trade. The function of the航空港 as an important gateway for opening-up will be强化, implementing a new round of high-quality development plan for the Zhengzhou Airport Economic Zone. The open capacity of the international air logistics center will be提升, enhancing the service保障能力 of Zhengzhou Airport,加密 domestic passenger and cargo routes, and expanding international routes.空港型 industrial clusters will be引聚培育, building a modern aviation metropolis.
Comprehensive multi-faceted guarantees are needed to turn the blueprint into reality, for which the Outline has detailed requirements. High-quality人口发展 will be promoted, optimizing生育支持 policies and激励措施, effectively reducing家庭生育养育教育 costs. Education comprehensive reforms will be深化,健全 an education resource allocation mechanism适应人口变化. Higher education提质扩容 will be推动, promoting Zhengzhou University and Henan University to improve quality and ranking, dynamically adjusting the "Double First-Class" creation scope, striving for more universities and disciplines to enter the national "Double First-Class" construction sequence, actively undertaking the national strategic layout of high-level universities, and提升 higher education办学层次. Accelerated construction of a healthy Henan will proceed,推动优质医疗资源提质扩容,推进中医药传承创新. High-quality and full employment will be promoted, implementing先进制造业促就业行动 and the "Artificial Intelligence +" high-quality employment plan, expanding new employment spaces in the digital economy, green economy, silver economy, etc., and持续扩大 employment scale in service industries such as culture and tourism, elderly care, childcare,家政, and property management. The functional布局 of "doorstep" employment service stations will be optimized,打造 "15-minute employment service circles." The income distribution system will be落实,稳步扩大 the middle-income group规模,健全 the social security system, and稳步提高 social security levels. Housing保障能力 will be强化, promoting the平稳健康发展 of the real estate market. Accelerated全面绿色转型 will proceed,推动生态环境全面改善, enhancing green development动能. Social governance效能 will be提升,推进党建引领基层高效能治理 and加强社会治理, effectively防范化解 various risks. Socialist democratic法治建设 will be加强,推进全面依法治省.