(Yicai) March 3 -- The four key themes of this year’s Two Sessions will be the 15th Five-Year Plan, artificial intelligence, expanding domestic demand, and improving people’s livelihood, according to analysts.

The Two Sessions, which will kick off in Beijing tomorrow, are the annual meetings of the National People’s Congress and the National Committee of the Chinese People’s Political Consultative Conference. This year marks the beginning of the 15th Five-Year Plan, so the NPC will review the draft of the 15th Five-Year Plan Outline for National Economic and Social Development during the Two Sessions.

The main highlight of this year’s Two Sessions is the discussion and release of the 15th Five-Year Plan Outline, Lian Ping, president and chief economist of the Guangkai Chief Industry Research Institute, told Yicai.

Formulating the objective for the five years ahead of the last five years before achieving the goal of socialist modernization by 2035 is of crucial importance, Lian noted, adding that the 15th Five-Year Plan period (2026-2030) is a pivotal time that bridges the past and the future.

How to take relevant measures to achieve high-quality economic development and scientific and technological progress in China will be the focus of discussions during the Two Sessions, Lian pointed out.

Last month, the State Council launched a thematic study on AI empowering all industries to promote breakthroughs throughout the entire AI industrial chain and its application in all scenarios and to further unleash development potential. Upcoming policies will focus on AI governance and the impact of AI on jobs, distribution, and social psychology.

The Ministry of Human Resources and Social Security will implement policies to stabilize, expand, and improve the quality of employment, introduce measures to support jobs in key industries, and issue documents to address the impact of AI on employment, spokesperson Cui Pengcheng said.

Expanding domestic demand is listed as the top priority for economic work this year by the Central Economic Work Conference. The structural contradiction of strong supply and weak demand remains prominent. The National Development and Reform Commission has clearly stated that it will introduce a strategic implementation plan for expanding domestic demand from 2026 to 2030.

The policies to expand domestic demand will shift from short-term subsidies to institutional support, forming a high-quality development model where demand drives supply and supply creates demand, said Zhang Jun, chief economist at China Galaxy Securities.

In terms of people’s livelihood, promoting employment, supporting childbirth and child-rearing, and reducing medical expenses will also be important topics at the Two Sessions this year.

Seven Chinese provincial-level regions have taken the lead in making childbirth free of charge, and this policy will be expanded to the rest of the country this year. Moreover, people doing flexible jobs and migrant workers will be included in the coverage of maternity insurance.

Assisted reproductive projects have been fully covered by medical insurance reimbursement, and painless childbirth will also be covered by medical insurance nationwide this year.

Editor: Futura Costaglione