Illustration: Chen Xia/GT

Editor's Note: 

Developing a unified national market and fostering a business environment that is market-oriented, law-based, and internationalized are among the key priorities outlined in China's 15th Five-Year Plan (2026-30). How will the unified national market improve China's business environment? Amid rising global protectionism, what signal is Beijing sending by continuously optimizing its business environment? The Global Times invites two experts to delve into these questions and provide their insights.


Walter Doring, chairman of the Senate of Economy Europe and initiator of the Summit of World Market Leaders

In Germany, there is a distinctly positive attitude toward China, especially among German global market leaders. This was once again evident at the 16th Summit of World Market Leaders held in Germany early this year. The German business community observes with great satisfaction and appreciation all developments in China aimed at opening markets and presenting China as a large, cohesive market in its own right.

Any reduction of restrictions and barriers to market access that China impressively advances will motivate European and German companies not to reduce their contacts with Chinese partners, but to maintain them and in some cases expand them.

The current stance of German industry toward China has only recently been stated very clearly. I would like to quote associations representing German business: China will remain an important market for German companies. We want to remain present in a highly competitive and innovative market. German industry cannot and does not want to do without the Chinese market.

At the same time, we in Europe naturally expect a more balanced investment relationship. It is encouraging that China is now investing here more than before and that these investments have already helped save several companies and therefore jobs.


Michael Schumann, chairman of the Board of the German Federal Association for Economic Development and Foreign Trade

As the global economy enters a period marked by fragmentation, industrial rivalry and a resurgence of protectionist reflexes, the signals emerging from China's policy agenda deserve careful and constructive attention. The emphasis in the 15th Five-Year Plan on advancing the development of a unified national market and fostering a business environment that is market-oriented, law-based and internationalized is not merely a domestic reform program. It is a message to the world about stability, scale and the continued relevance of economic cooperation.

For decades, China's growth was often described in terms of speed and magnitude. The next phase is better understood in terms of structure and quality. A unified national market - reducing regional barriers, harmonizing standards and improving factor mobility - has the potential to unlock productivity gains comparable to those once generated by China's accession to the World Trade Organization. For businesses, domestic and foreign alike, the implications are profound: fewer administrative frictions, more transparent regulatory frameworks and a larger, more integrated demand base.

German companies have long operated across multiple Chinese provinces and regions, navigating differences in local regulations, certification systems and procurement practices. A more unified market lowers transaction costs and allows firms to scale innovation more efficiently.

Equally important is the commitment to a law-based and internationalized framework. Predictability is the most valuable currency in global business. When rules are clearer, enforcement more consistent and market access procedures more transparent, and investment becomes less a leap of faith and more a rational calculation. At a time when geopolitical narratives often overshadow economic realities, reforms that enhance legal certainty and national treatment for established foreign enterprises send a stabilizing signal.

This stability extends beyond China's borders. A more efficient and integrated Chinese market strengthens global supply chains by reducing bottlenecks and improving logistical coherence. It also supports demand-side growth, which remains one of the most important engines for the world economy. For export-oriented economies, including those in Europe, a China that consumes more and does so within a more predictable regulatory framework is not a risk but an opportunity.

The timing of these reforms is particularly significant. The global trading system is under strain. Many countries are reassessing dependencies and introducing new layers of screening, tariffs and industrial policy. In this environment, China's continued emphasis on opening-up - albeit in a calibrated and security-conscious manner - creates space for what might be called "strategic engagement": cooperation in areas of shared interest such as green technologies, advanced manufacturing, health and sustainable infrastructure, while managing sensitivities in others.

The green transition is a case in point. China's push toward renewable energy, electrified mobility and low-carbon industry is not only a domestic environmental imperative but also a vast market for technologies that improve efficiency and reduce emissions. European firms, many of which are global leaders in industrial decarbonization, hydrogen applications and circular economy solutions, find in this transformation a field for partnership rather than competition alone. Joint innovation, pilot projects and co-development models can accelerate progress on both sides.

Another dimension often overlooked is the role of scale in innovation. When new technologies - from humanoid robots to industrial artificial intelligence to smart logistics - are deployed in a market of China's size, they generate learning curves and cost reductions that benefit the global diffusion of those technologies. In this sense, China's internal reforms contribute to global public goods.

The concept of a unified national market also carries a symbolic dimension. It reflects a shift toward a more balanced growth model anchored in domestic consumption, social development and technological upgrading. For the world economy, this rebalancing is essential. It reduces volatility and creates a broader base for sustainable growth.

In practical terms, the message to international business is straightforward: China is not retreating from globalization but redefining its terms. The focus on high-quality development, legal predictability and market integration suggests a long-term orientation that aligns with the needs of companies planning investments over decades.

For policymakers in Europe, the appropriate response is "strategic engagement." By aligning areas of cooperation - such as green industry standards, sustainable finance frameworks and industrial digitalization - with China's reform trajectory, Europe can both safeguard its interests and contribute to global economic stability.

The world does not face a choice between competition and cooperation; it requires a calibrated combination of both. China's efforts to deepen its national market and improve its business environment offer a platform on which such a balance can be built. In a time of uncertainty, that is not only an opportunity for China, but a stabilizing factor for the global economy as a whole.

If the past decades were defined by the question of how China integrates into the world economy, the coming years may be defined by how the world engages with a more mature, more structured and more quality-driven Chinese market. The answer will shape not only trade flows and investment patterns, but the broader architecture of global economic cooperation.