Li Lecheng presided over the 2026 annual work meeting of the Inter-ministerial Joint Conference on Energy Conservation and the Development of New Energy Vehicles
On the afternoon of January 13, 2026, the 2026 annual work conference of the Inter-Ministerial Joint Conference on Energy Conservation and New Energy Vehicle Industry was held in Beijing. The convener of the joint conference, Li Lecheng, the Secretary-General and Minister of the Ministry of Industry and Information Technology, presided over the meeting and delivered a speech.
The meeting pointed out that the development of new energy vehicles is a major strategic decision made by the Central Committee of the Communist Party of China and the State Council, and it is an important part of building China's modern industrial system. During the "14th Five-Year Plan" period, the entire industry overcame difficulties and worked hard, achieving the expected goals and completing all tasks of the "14th Five-Year Plan" ahead of schedule. The scale of China's new energy vehicle market increased by 3.6 times, and China's automotive exports ranked first globally. The cost of individual batteries decreased by 30%, their lifespan increased by 40%, and the charging speed increased by more than three times, further enhancing China's international competitive advantages.
The meeting emphasized that 2026 marks the beginning of the "14th Five-Year Plan", and the development of intelligent connected and new energy vehicles is in an important period of opportunity. We must adhere to a problem-oriented approach, systematic thinking, and bottom-line thinking, enhance the intensity of work coordination, further improve work measures, and promote the high-quality development of the industry. First, complete the planning compilation, strengthen coordination and layout with related plans such as energy and infrastructure, clarify development goals and deploy key tasks, and lead the innovation and development of the industry. Second, enhance the autonomy and controllability of the industrial chain and supply chain, implement a new round of high-quality development actions for key industrial chains, strengthen research and development on key products, basic materials, and tool software, and accelerate the breakthrough of technologies such as all-solid-state batteries and high-level autonomous driving. Third, further expand automobile consumption, promote the work of vehicle scrapping and replacement, promote the large-scale application of new energy trucks, deepen the reform of new energy vehicle insurance, and stimulate the potential of diversified consumption. Fourth, regulate the competition order of the industry, strengthen cost investigation and price monitoring, strengthen supervision and inspection of product production consistency and quality, strengthen the role of standards in upgrading industries, and guide industry self-discipline. Fifth, strengthen international cooperation in trade, investment, and technology, scientifically promote the integration of trade and investment, and the integration of domestic and foreign trade, strengthen technical and investment risk prevention, guide enterprises to make reasonable, orderly, and safe overseas layouts, and promote the formation of a new global industrial cooperation situation.
Representatives from 23 member departments including the National Development and Reform Commission, the Ministry of Finance, the Ministry of Housing and Urban-Rural Development, and the Ministry of Transport attended the meeting. Representatives from relevant departments of the Ministry of Industry and Information Technology also participated.
