China’s leaders made boosting demand at home their top economic priority in 2026, a reminder of Beijing’s domestic challenges even as its export engine roars ahead.
The commitment from the Chinese Communist Party’s decision-making Politburo during its December meeting follows a prolonged slowdown that has seen deflated costs and punishing price wars in key sectors. While the country’s stock market has rebounded this year, the real estate sector remains beleaguered; it went unmentioned in the meeting’s readout, China watcher Bill Bishop noted.
Beijing is facing calls from the EU and other partners to rebalance its economy as its trade surplus surpassed the $1 trillion mark this year despite US tariffs.