China to Deepen Consumption Boost and Income Support Measures, NDRC Official Says

BEIJING, April 17 — China will roll out a raft of targeted policies to invigorate consumer spending and bolster household incomes through enhanced employment support and improved income distribution mechanisms, a senior economic official announced on Friday.

According to Wang Changlin, Vice Chairman of the National Development and Reform Commission (NDRC), speaking at a press conference held by the State Council Information Office, the country will "deepen the implementation of a special action plan to boost consumption" as a core economic priority.

The official outlined a comprehensive policy framework designed to enhance residents' spending power. Key measures include refining employment promotion mechanisms, providing robust support for businesses to maintain and expand payrolls, and encouraging individual entrepreneurship. The government will actively nurture new types of occupations and jobs, while ramping up vocational skills training to enable workers to secure better-paying roles and increase earnings through enhanced expertise.

In a bid to ensure steady income growth, Wang confirmed plans to incrementally raise the minimum wage and improve the system of distribution based on production factors. This will be complemented by accelerating the establishment of a skills-oriented salary system and expanding multiple channels to increase property income for both urban and rural residents.

These initiatives form part of a broader strategy to unlock the vast potential of China's domestic market. Wang emphasized that despite the economy's strong start—with first-quarter retail sales of consumer goods exceeding 12 trillion yuan and a 4.7% year-on-year increase—significant untapped potential remains, particularly in the service sector. The overarching goal, he stated, is to foster an environment where consumers "have stable incomes to spend, feel secure enough to spend, and are willing to spend in an improved environment".

The policy package aligns with the national strategic focus on expanding domestic demand during the 15th Five-Year Plan period (2026-2030). It integrates efforts to stabilize growth, upgrade the economic structure, and improve livelihoods, by linking consumption expansion with the ongoing trade-in program for consumer goods and the development of high-quality services in healthcare, elderly care, and cultural tourism.