Zhejiang province will continue to place innovation at the core of its development agenda during the 15th Five-Year Plan (2026–30) period, while deepening reform and expanding high-level opening-up, according to provincial officials.

"As the construction of a unified national market gathers pace and economic reforms deepen, the focus of improving the business environment has shifted from 'optimal government efficiency' to 'a world-class innovation ecosystem'," Liu Jie, governor of Zhejiang, said.

He noted that during the 14th Five-Year Plan period (2021–25), the province's GDP successively surpassed the 7 trillion, 8 trillion, and 9 trillion yuan thresholds, reaching 9.45 trillion yuan($1.38 trillion)in 2025, with an average annual growth rate of 5.9 percent.

Innovation has emerged as a key growth driver. R&D intensity rose to 3.3 percent, while Zhejiang's regional innovation capacity ranked fourth nationwide. Meanwhile, reform and opening-up advanced steadily, with exports exceeding 4 trillion yuan, ranking second in the country.

The outline of Zhejiang's 15th Five-Year Plan has now been issued, detailing 16 priority tasks, including enhancing the overall efficiency of the innovation system, building a modern industrial system with distinctive local features, advancing the application of artificial intelligence across industries, and expanding high-level opening-up. Liu described the plan as a "clear roadmap and construction blueprint".

"Foreign trade serves as a 'stabilizer' of Zhejiang's economy. Advancing high-level opening-up is crucial to high-quality development," Liu said. "During the 15th Five-Year Plan period, we will focus on strengthening Zhejiang's role as a strategic pivot in the domestic cycle and a key hub connecting domestic and international markets."

Zhou Shifeng, deputy head of the Zhejiang Development Planning Institute, said building a high-level open province will also bring tangible benefits to residents. "We will be able to access the most cost-effective goods and services from around the world, while also earning income from global markets," he said.

On April 28, the fourth floor of the North Zone at the Yiwu Global Digital Trade Center officially entered trial operation, showcasing cutting-edge Chinese technologies, including low-altitude economy applications, embodied artificial intelligence, and virtual reality devices.

Unlike traditional booth-style displays, the new retail spaces offer immersive experiences, with flight-testing zones for drones, robot demonstration areas, and augmented reality interaction zones. Global buyers can now witness agricultural drones in action, observe robots performing logistics tasks, and directly experience smart wearable devices — transforming procurement into an interactive, experience-driven process.

Zhejiang will also step up efforts to upgrade foreign trade. Liu said the province will optimize its export structure by expanding high value-added products, while promoting the steady growth and quality improvement of goods trade, fostering service trade and advancing digital trade innovation.