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The fourth session of the 14th Zhejiang Provincial People's Congress opened in Hangzhou on Jan 14, unveiling the province's major goals for 2026.

Zhejiang aims to achieve GDP growth of 5 to 5.5 percent, keep the surveyed urban unemployment rate within 5 percent, and limit consumer price increases to around 2 percent. Per capita disposable income of urban and rural residents is expected to grow in line with overall economic growth.

To promote high-quality development of the private economy, the province will update and upgrade its 32 policy measures supporting private businesses, continue special campaigns to regulate enterprise-related law enforcement, and host the 8th World Zhejiang Entrepreneurs Convention.

In innovation and industrial development, Zhejiang will step up investment in scientific and technological innovation, striving to raise R&D spending intensity to 3.35 percent of GDP. The ratio of R&D expenditure to operating revenue among enterprises above a designated size is expected to reach around 3.25 percent, while revenue from core artificial intelligence industries is projected to grow by more than 20 percent.

In opening-up and logistics, container throughput at Ningbo-Zhoushan Port is targeted to reach 45 million TEUs. Zhejiang will deepen market-oriented reform of China-Europe freight train services, with more than 3,000 trips planned for the year, build a specialized air cargo hub in Jiaxing, and accelerate the expansion of Yiwu Airport.

On employment and social development, Zhejiang aims to create more than 1 million new urban jobs, improve the modern vocational education system, refine and implement the spring and autumn school break system for primary and secondary schools, and expand integrated community-based medical and elderly care services.

In culture, tourism, and sports, the province will organize high-level editions of provincial-level basketball and soccer leagues, and host 100 large-scale commercial performances alongside 200 major sports events.

The culture and tourism industries are expected to see 6 percent growth in value added and 6 percent growth in total tourism revenue, while the number of overnight inbound tourists is projected to rise by more than 10 percent.

In energy development, Zhejiang plans to add 18 million kilowatts of new power generation capacity, including 10 million kilowatts from non-fossil energy sources.