"China has been one of Germany's largest trading partners for years since 2016, so this is about building on a strong foundation rather than starting from scratch," said Prof. Dr. Sarah Eaton, Professor of Transregional China Studies at Humboldt University Berlin and co-founder of the Berlin Contemporary China Network (BCCN).

As the fourth session of the 14th National People's Congress was held in Beijing, the government work report has set China's growth target for 2026 at 4.5 to 5 percent—the first year of the 15th Five-Year Plan period. The new blueprint, covering 2026 through 2030, marks a critical stage on China's path toward socialist modernization by 2035.