To continuously drive the high-quality development of small and medium-sized enterprises, the Ministry of Industry and Information Technology, together with nine other government bodies—including the National Development and Reform Commission, the Ministry of Science and Technology, the Ministry of Finance, the Ministry of Human Resources and Social Security, the Ministry of Commerce, the People's Bank of China, the State Administration for Market Regulation, the National Financial Regulatory Administration, and the China Securities Regulatory Commission—has jointly issued the 15th Five-Year Plan for Promoting SME Development.
Anchored in the strategic goal of essentially realizing a new type of industrialization, the plan focuses on high-quality development as its core theme and regards reform and innovation as the fundamental driving force. It upholds the principle of "two unswerving" commitments, combining an effective market with a capable government. The plan aims to refine the systems for cultivating quality enterprises, public services, and legal policies, while strengthening the provision of production factors and the guarantee of a sound development environment. The overarching goal is to fully invigorate the innovation and entrepreneurial vitality of SMEs and foster their specialized, refined, distinctive, and innovative growth.
The plan sets out the development targets for SMEs during the 15th Five-Year Plan period. By 2030, China's SME sector is expected to experience growth in both scale and quality. Revenue and total assets of SMEs should maintain steady growth, with labor compensation and labor productivity rising steadily. The per-capita revenue of SMEs above a designated size is projected to increase by about 15% cumulatively. Innovation capabilities are set to be markedly strengthened, with internal R&D expenditure of industrial SMEs above the designated size expected to grow by an average of over 8% annually. The number of "Little Giant" enterprises—specialized and innovative SMEs leading in niche markets—is projected to reach 22,000, while the number of national-level distinctive SME industrial clusters is targeted to hit 600.
Significant strides in digital and green transformation are also envisioned. A batch of typical application scenarios for digital transformation will be created. By 2030, over 95% of specialized and innovative SMEs are expected to reach level two or above in digitalization, and more than 80% should attain level three or above. The efficiency of energy and resource utilization is expected to improve substantially. The service system will continue to be refined, with the national "one-network" SME service system significantly enhancing its efficiency. The plan also calls for the recognition of a number of national SME public service demonstration platforms or bases, and the establishment of 50 Sino-foreign SME cooperation zones. The business environment is expected to be further optimized, with a long-term mechanism for preventing and resolving arrears owed to SMEs largely in place, and diversified financing channels further expanded.
To guarantee the realization of these goals, the plan outlines seven major tasks, covering areas such as stabilizing enterprises and employment, intensifying enterprise cultivation, accelerating digital and green development, promoting collaborative and integrated development, strengthening the supply of production factors, improving the service system, and reinforcing legal and policy safeguards. In parallel, seven special projects or initiatives will be launched, with detailed supporting measures focusing on key areas including the tiered cultivation of quality enterprises, enhancement of quality, brand, and standards capabilities, digital transformation, upgrading of industrial cluster capabilities, financing promotion, talent services, and public service capacity building. These measures are designed to ensure the effective implementation of all tasks.
Looking ahead, the Ministry of Industry and Information Technology will coordinate the implementation of the plan, strengthening inter-departmental collaboration, central-local coordination, and joint consultation. Continuous monitoring, evaluation, and supervision of the plan's implementation will be maintained. Efforts will also be made to enhance publicity and guidance, fostering a favorable atmosphere across society for supporting the development of SMEs.