China unveils new measures to boost technology-driven innovation in commerce

China has released new guidelines to promote the application of artificial intelligence (AI) and other advanced technologies in commerce, as part of efforts to upgrade consumption and improve commercial distribution efficiency.

These guidelines, jointly issued by nine government departments, including the Ministry of Commerce, outline 18 measures covering goods consumption, services consumption, commercial distribution, innovative business applications and policy support.

To upgrade consumer goods, the guidelines call for integrating AI into product development, design, manufacturing and marketing, expanding the supply of smart devices and robots, and encouraging flexible manufacturing and AI-powered customization.

In the services sector, these guidelines support the application of AI in healthcare and smart elderly care services, the digital transformation of catering businesses, and pilot applications of AI in culture and tourism.

In commercial distribution, the measures include promoting smart warehouses, intelligent logistics equipment and unmanned delivery, alongside digital upgrades in wholesale and retail businesses.

The guidelines also call for developing commercial AI agents for shopping assistance, business operations and logistics, expanding applications of embodied intelligence, and creating virtual shopping experiences. They additionally outline support for technology standards, digital infrastructure and financing.

"We will promote the iterative upgrading of commodity supply, and facilitate a better match between supply and demand in commodity consumption by developing flexible manufacturing and personalized customization. We will improve services related to basic demand categories such as domestic services and catering, expand the supply of upgraded categories such as culture, tourism and sports, optimize the quality of personalized services, and enhance the service consumption experience," said Yuan Xiaoming, assistant minister of commerce.

"We will accelerate the implementation of the special action for the development of digital and intelligent supply chains, promote the transformation and upgrading of wholesale and retail, and build a quality-oriented e-commerce ecosystem. We will build and cultivate intelligent, green and integrated scenarios. At the same time, we will optimize the development environment, and strengthen support from six aspects, including standard system, infrastructure, safety supervision, research and development transformation, talent cultivation, and fiscal finance," he continued.

In June, the Ministry of Commerce and seven other government departments released guidelines containing 17 measures to promote "AI plus consumption," focusing on smart products, AI-enabled services and new consumption scenarios.

China's retail sales of consumer goods rose 1.1 percent year on year to 37 trillion yuan (about 5.5 trillion U.S. dollars) in the first three quarters of 2026, while retail sales of services increased 5 percent, outpacing the one-percent growth in retail sales of goods, official data released on Monday showed.

China unveils new measures to boost technology-driven innovation in commerce

China's economic performance in the first three quarters of 2026 has demonstrated stability with new growth drivers and an improved economic structure, according to an official on Monday.

At a press conference in Beijing, Mao Shengyong, deputy head of the National Bureau of Statistics, briefed media on the country's economic performance from January to September.

China's gross domestic product (GDP) grew 4.5 percent year on year in the third quarter (Q3) of 2026, data from the National Bureau of Statistics (NBS) showed.

In terms of industries, added value of the primary, secondary, and tertiary sectors came to 5.8994 trillion yuan (about 883 billion U.S. dollars), 38.3822 trillion yuan, and 62.8255 trillion yuan, respectively, representing a year-on-year increase of 3.7 percent, 3.8 percent, and 5.2 percent, separately.

To be more specific, value added in agriculture grew 3.6 percent year on year. The output of summer grain and early rice rose by 780,000 tons from a year earlier. With autumn grain production in good shape, China expects to harvest another bumper grain crop for the year.

As for the industrial production, it grew at a relatively fast pace with added value of industrial enterprises above the designated size up 5.3 percent year on year.

Equipment and high-tech manufacturing provided significant support.

In terms of services sector, its added value grew 5.2 percent year on year, with modern services performing quite well.

In the first nine months of this year, the consumer market continued to expand. Total retail sales of consumer goods reached 37.0001 trillion yuan, up 1.1 percent year on year.

"In the first three quarters, total retail sales of consumer goods and services grew 2.6 percent year on year. Service retail sales, in particular, increased by 5.0 percent, which is a notably growth rate. Consumption contributed nearly half of the economic growth during the period, accounting for 46.7 percent, adding 2.1 percentage points to the GDP," said Mao.

China's economy from Q1 to Q3 shows stability, improved structure