The development environment for China's small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) continued to improve in 2025, according to a report released by the China Center for Promotion of SME Development on Thursday.
The report, based on surveys of SMEs in 50 cities across the country, assessed five major criteria by looking into the market environment, legal environment, financing environment, innovation environment and policy environment, respectively.
The results showed that there has been an improvement in SMEs' development environment, with narrowed gaps between cities, fewer barriers in market access, and more balanced regional development.
"According to the survey, the overall satisfaction of SMEs with the development environment steadily increased from 74.60 points in 2020 to 84.54 points in 2025. Policy packages have been taking effect in stabilizing employment, enterprises, markets and expectations. Their effectiveness on SME development environment continues to emerge," said Lai Xiao, deputy director of the China Center for Promotion of SME Development's policy research division.
Also in the survey, more than 70 percent of the SMEs that use special and sophisticated technologies to produce novel and unique products maintained a stable or growing operating revenue, with over 60 percent of them planning to carry out innovation and research and development in the coming year, and more than 40 percent having investment plans.
"The survey showed that 77.28 percent of enterprises rely on independent research and development as their primary mode of innovation, fully unleashing innovation momentum. Nowadays, China's SMEs are continuously increasing investment in science and technology innovation, with a gradient cultivation system for SMEs that use special and sophisticated technologies to produce novel and unique products steadily improving," Lai said.
China’s development environment for SMEs improves: report
Cheng Li-wun, chairwoman of the Chinese Kuomintang (KMT) party, on Thursday warned against "needless contradictions and ambiguities" that could hinder Taiwan's progress, as she continued her visit to the mainland.
Cheng made the remarks when touring the sprawling, fully automated Yangshan Port in Shanghai, where she witnessed firsthand the achievements of the Chinese mainland's high-tech and industrial development.
She commended the mainland's industrial and technological advances as well as its low-carbon transformation.
"The service industry and traditional manufacturing sector of Taiwan are facing very serious bottlenecks. Opportunities for future development can be seen in how they transform, upgrade, and integrate with AI. Cross-strait reconciliation, dialogue, exchange, and cooperation can make the most beautiful flowers bloom even in the most unlikely places. Therefore, everyone's imagination, creativity, expertise, and enthusiasm are limitless. We shouldn't let needless contradictions and ambiguities limit the steps we could take and the development we could achieve," Cheng said.
Leading a KMT delegation, Cheng embarked her six-day visit to the mainland on Tuesday, marking the first time in a decade that a KMT chairperson has led a delegation to the mainland.
Shanghai was the second leg of Cheng's trip, after she and her delegation traveled to Nanjing, the provincial capital of Jiangsu in the east.
On delegation, the delegation visited the Shanghai headquarters of the food delivery giant Meituan, where they experienced drone-based delivery services that offered a glimpse into the mainland's rapidly developing smart economy.
On Thursday morning, Cheng and her delegation also toured the Shanghai Aircraft Design and Research Institute under the Commercial Aircraft Corporation of China, Ltd., manufacturer of domestically-developed aircraft including the C919 passenger jet.
The delegation departed Shanghai for Beijing on Thursday afternoon.
Needless contradictions should not limit Taiwan's potential: KMT chairwoman
