The country is preparing for a new era of technological and strategic competition
Every spring, China’s Two Sessions – the combined annual plenary sessions of the National People’s Congress and of the National Committee of the Chinese People’s Political Consultative Conference – provide a window into the country’s political priorities.
This year’s gathering delivered a particularly clear signal: In a world of growing geopolitical turbulence, Beijing is placing security and military modernization firmly at the center of its long-term strategy.
The 2026 sessions unfolded against a complicated economic backdrop. China’s economy continues to grow, but at a slower pace than in previous decades. Yet the meetings made clear that economic caution does not mean strategic hesitation. Instead, the leadership is doubling down on the idea that development and security must reinforce each other.
President Xi Jinping underscored this point by placing the modernization of the People’s Liberation Army (PLA) at the core of China’s future planning. The military, in fact, is expected to play a substantial role in the country’s 15th Five-Year Plan, which will guide development from 2026 to 2030.
This plan reflects a fundamental shift in China’s strategic thinking: The alignment of economic policy with national security priorities. At the heart of this approach is technological self-reliance – especially in sectors linked to defense, advanced manufacturing, and AI.
For the PLA, the next stage of modernization is already taking shape. Chinese strategists describe it as ‘intelligentization’, the integration of AI, autonomous systems, and advanced data networks into military operations. The concept represents the third phase of China’s military transformation, following earlier stages of mechanization and informatization.
In practical terms, intelligentization means using AI-driven technologies to accelerate battlefield decision-making, improve command and control systems, and give military commanders greater situational awareness. The aim is to achieve “decision-making dominance” – the ability to process information faster and act more effectively than potential adversaries.
Disclaimer : This story is auto aggregated by a computer programme and has not been created or edited by DOWNTHENEWS. Publisher: rt.com
