[SMM Hydrogen Policy Update] China Center for International Economic Exchanges Hosts "2025–2026 China Economic Annual Conference" in Beijing | Anchoring the Direction of New Energy Transformation

On December 13, the "2025-2026 China Economic Annual Conference," hosted by the China Center for International Economic Exchanges, was held in Beijing. The conference, themed "Implementing the Spirit of the Central Economic Work Conference and Making a Good Start for High-Quality Development in the 15th Five-Year Plan Period," brought together leaders from the Central Financial and Economic Affairs Commission, the National Development and Reform Commission (NDRC), and industry experts. When interpreting the economic work arrangements, they clearly identified the new energy industry as the core driver for green transformation, with hydrogen energy listed as a key new economic growth point to be cultivated, injecting a strong policy boost for high-quality industrial development.

Participants emphasized that next year's economic work will adhere to dual carbon goals-led promotion of comprehensive green transformation, a direction highly aligned with the requirement of "persisting in innovation-driven development and accelerating the cultivation and strengthening of new momentum" put forward by the Central Economic Work Conference. Han Wenxiu, Executive Vice Minister of the Central Financial and Economic Affairs Commission and Director of the Office of the Central Rural Work Leading Group, pointed out that 2026 is the first year of the comprehensive transition from dual controls on energy consumption and energy intensity to dual controls on carbon emissions. He stressed the need to accelerate the construction of a new-type energy system, expand the application of green electricity, further promote energy-saving and carbon-reduction transformations in key industries, while cultivating new growth points such as hydrogen energy and green fuels, and building a number of zero-carbon parks and zero-carbon factories. These arrangements clarify the strategic position of hydrogen energy in the energy transition and provide policy guidance for the industry's scaled development.

Xiao Weiming, Deputy Secretary General of the National Development and Reform Commission (NDRC), added that comprehensive green transformation requires strengthening the innovative application of green and low-carbon technology and equipment, effectively managing high-energy-consumption and high-emission projects, accelerating the phase-out of outdated capacity, improving the total resource management and comprehensive conservation system, and promoting the clean and efficient use of fossil energy to create space for the development of the new energy industry. Industry experts stated that, driven by both the dual carbon goals and policy dividends, hydrogen energy, as a clean and efficient secondary energy source, is transitioning from pilot exploration to a new stage of orderly breakthrough, and its application potential in fields such as industry, transportation, and ESS will continue to be unleashed.

Notably, China's hydrogen energy industry already possesses a solid development foundation. Data shows that China's current green hydrogen capacity exceeds 220,000 mt annually, accounting for over 50% of the global total; more than 540 hydrogen refueling stations have been built, representing 40% of the global total. Significant technological breakthroughs have been achieved across the entire industry chain, with major advancements in core segments such as water electrolysis for hydrogen production and high-pressure hydrogen pipelines. Moreover, the recent release of the first batch of hydrogen energy pilot projects in the energy sector by the National Energy Administration, covering diverse directions such as large-scale hydrogen production and comprehensive development, has formed a policy support system with an all-hierarchical advancement pattern of "national coordination + local implementation," laying an institutional foundation for the development of the hydrogen energy industry.

Wang Yiming, Vice Chairman of the China Center for International Economic Exchanges, mentioned in interpreting the cultivation of new momentum that forward-looking layout of hydrogen energy and other future industries is expected to add several trillion yuan in market scale over the next 10 years, equivalent to recreating a high-tech industry. Participants generally agreed that with the implementation of the dual control system for carbon emissions, hydrogen energy, along with green electricity, green fuels, and other new energy fields, will enter a period of development opportunities driven by both policy and market. This will not only help ensure energy security, but also inject green momentum into the high-quality development of the "16th Five-Year Plan" period.

This annual conference brought together more than 300 participants, including leaders from central government departments, experts, scholars, entrepreneurs, and think tank representatives. The relevant arrangements further clarified the development path for the new energy industry, providing broad space for technological innovation, scenario application, and international cooperation in emerging fields such as hydrogen energy, and promoting China's green transition to a deeper and higher-quality level.