Published by ChinaMNC · Japan

Qinghai’s 15th Five-Year Plan for Private Economy: A Guide for Foreign Founders

Qinghai’s new private economy plan sets targets and sector openings for foreign founders operating in China. Learn about incentives in green energy, agriculture, digital tech, and business environment reforms.

Qinghai’s Private Economy Plan: What Foreign Founders Need to Know

The Qinghai Provincial People’s Government has issued the “15th Five-Year Plan for the Development of the Private Economy” (2026–2030). For foreign founders registering or operating a company in China, this plan outlines sector-specific opportunities, regulatory changes, and business environment improvements in Qinghai Province. Below is a practical summary based only on the official source.

Overall Goals and Targets

The plan aims to expand and strengthen the private economy by 2030. A key quantitative target is to raise the private economy’s share of Qinghai’s GDP to approximately 42%. The plan emphasizes legal protection, better policy implementation, stronger innovation capacity, and the emergence of leading enterprises. It frames the private sector as a key支撑 for modernizing the industrial system and driving high-quality development.

Sector Opportunities for Private Investment

Agriculture and Animal Husbandry

• Modernize traditional livestock farming toward scientific methods.
• Build billion-yuan industrial clusters for yak and Tibetan sheep.
• Support deep processing of agricultural and livestock products.
• Encourage R&D investment and smart agriculture.
• Promote order farming, e-commerce platforms, and community group buying to reshape distribution.

Green and Low-Carbon Industry

• Encourage private firms in salt lake chemicals, non-ferrous metallurgy, and building materials to undertake full life-cycle green transitions.
• Support creation of green factories and application for national green supply chain management enterprise status.
• Allow private participation in hydropower, solar thermal, and biomass energy infrastructure projects.
• Support large-scale wind and solar bases and grid-forming technical upgrades.
• Guide private research into magnesium-based and aluminum-based hydrogen storage materials.
• Encourage participation in silicon-based new materials, high-purity polysilicon, and green hydrogen production.
• Support involvement in Xining Green Power Intelligent Computing Park, Haidong Zero-Carbon Computing Park, and Hainan Prefecture Green Computing Park.

High-Tech Manufacturing and Health

• Encourage private participation in plateau drone testing, inspection, and R&D.
• Guide private investment in modern plateau biopharmaceuticals and health industries.
• Support reformulation of traditional medicines and development of capsules, granules, and oral liquids.
• Expand traditional tablets and injections, and develop medical device clusters such as patches.
• Encourage private participation in establishing Tibetan medicine standards.
• Support manufacturing of high-pressure hydrogen storage materials and containers, liquid hydrogen storage and transport, hydrogen pipelines, and integrated hydrogen production devices.

Services and Digital Economy

• Introduce live-streaming e-commerce institutions and resources.
• Connect with major domestic e-commerce and live-streaming platforms to organize special live-stream events, showcases, and dedicated stores for Qinghai private firms.
• Encourage private entry into industrial design, common technology services, testing, inspection, and quality certification.
• Support branded, chain, and standardized lifestyle services.
• Encourage digital transformation and investment in data centers and industrial internet.
• Support platform companies in cloud computing, blockchain, and processors.
• Promote “cloud use, data empowerment, and AI” services and cultivate “little lighthouse” digital transformation firms.
• Encourage private participation in setting standards for new fields such as 3H plateau certification.

Investment Promotion and Market Access

The plan implements measures to stimulate private investment. A project list encouraging private capital participation will be formulated and promoted regularly. Private capital is encouraged to participate in new infrastructure (the “six networks”), revitalize state-owned存量 assets and old urban resources, and join “two重” and “two新” projects. The plan also encourages private sector participation in the Yarlung Zangbo River downstream national strategic project, including logistics bases or “transit warehouses,” heavy truck battery swapping, and prefabricated buildings. Reasonable qualification conditions for tenders will be set to remove barriers for private capital in major projects.

Innovation and Technology

Private enterprises are encouraged to build national and provincial science and technology innovation platforms, undertake national and provincial science programs, and conduct key technology research in clean energy, salt lake chemicals, and new materials. State-owned enterprises, universities, and research institutes are encouraged to open their R&D platforms to private firms.

International Trade and “Going Global”

Support includes guidance for outbound investment, participation in cross-border e-commerce pilot zones in Xining and Haidong, and involvement in the Belt and Road Initiative. The plan promotes “Qinghai Goods Going Global” trade events, a green channel for local inspection of “dual-cold” products, and expansion of Authorized Economic Operator (AEO) certification for small and medium private enterprises.

Legal and Business Environment Reforms

• Implement the national Private Economy Promotion Law and enact the Qinghai Provincial Private Economy Promotion Regulation.
• Correct illegal or improper administrative actions that infringe on business rights.
• Prevent improper cross-regional law enforcement and profit-driven enforcement.
• Promote “scan code to enter enterprise” and “comprehensive inspection once” enforcement methods.
• Apply “no penalty for first minor violation” and flexible enforcement.
• Improve intellectual property protection, including punitive damages and fast-track trials.
• Strengthen government contract performance and clear arrears owed to private entities.
• Promote legal services for enterprises and risk prevention.
• Deepen construction of a unified national market, implement the “one national list” management model, and facilitate market entry and exit.
• Break regional and industry hidden barriers.
• Strengthen fair competition review and anti-monopoly enforcement.
• Establish a “高效办成一件事” mechanism and clean up unreasonable proof requirements.

Practical Takeaways for Foreign Founders

Foreign founders considering Qinghai should note the plan’s focus on green energy, agriculture, digital economy, and high-tech manufacturing. The business environment reforms—such as simplified registration, fair competition, and legal protections—may reduce operational friction. However, this is a provincial plan; specific incentives and implementation details may vary. Always consult local authorities and professional advisors.

Call to Action: Foreign founders can contact ChinaMNC on WhatsApp / WeChat at +86 153 1898 8535 for help registering and operating a company in China.

This summary is based on information published by the relevant Chinese government website and is general information, not legal or tax advice.