China's civil aviation sector will place greater emphasis on quality, efficiency and international competitiveness over the next five years, as a new national blueprint seeks to strengthen global connectivity and air cargo links while accelerating digital and green transformation, officials and experts said.
The development plan for the 2026-30 period, jointly issued by the Civil Aviation Administration of China, the National Development and Reform Commission and the Ministry of Transport, sets a 2030 target to achieve world-class safety, services and infrastructure, alongside major progress in innovation, low-carbon development and governance.
"During the 15th Five-Year Plan period, the sector will pursue smart, green and integrated development, with safety as the bottom line, quality and efficiency as the main focus and reform and innovation as the fundamental driving force," said Han Jun, deputy head of the CAAC.
The shift is already reflected in the industry's performance. In the first half of 2026, total transport turnover rose 6.4 percent year-on-year to 83.37 billion ton-kilometers. More than 40 million passenger trips were recorded across international routes, up 5.7 percent, while international cargo and mail volume jumped 13.9 percent to 2.32 million metric tons.
"The central theme of the plan is high-quality development," said Lin Zhijie, a civil aviation industry analyst. "Its focus on improving quality and efficiency, its smart, green and integrated direction and its reliance on reform and innovation all reflect that shift."
Stronger global competitiveness will be essential as China's civil aviation sector moves from rapid expansion toward quality-driven growth, according to a professor and expert in the civil aviation sector who requested anonymity.
"By 2030, China is expected to remain one of the world's largest air transport markets, while becoming more important as a hub in international aviation networks, a participant in the global aviation value chain and a force in global civil aviation governance," the professor said.
The plan calls for a more internationally oriented air transport system and wider opening-up.
According to Lin, Beijing, Shanghai and Guangzhou — capital of Guangdong province — are expected to play stronger roles as China's main global gateways by improving transfer services, supporting major Chinese carriers and helping other cities connect with overseas markets.
China's international aviation network now reaches 263 cities in 90 countries, while all-cargo services connect 162 cities in 70 countries. Six airports on the Chinese mainland ranked among the world's top 30 cargo airports in 2025, while Chinese airlines accounted for 44 percent of the country's international air cargo market, up 10 percentage points from 2020.
Air cargo will also be a major focus of the plan.
"International air cargo is an important support for upgrading industrial and supply chains and advancing high-standard opening-up," Han said.
China's civil aviation industry handled more than 10 million tons of cargo and mail for the first time in 2025, including 4.4 million tons on international routes. During the 2021-25 period, the two figures saw average annual growth of 8.5 percent and 14.6 percent, respectively.
Han said the CAAC plans to improve links with traditional and emerging markets, strengthen major and specialized cargo hubs, support integrated logistics providers and accelerate digital documentation and multimodal transfers.
The plan also calls for the safe development of low-altitude civil aviation, faster digital transformation and greater technological self-reliance.
Green transformation is another pillar. The plan calls for the orderly substitution of fossil fuels and the development of the aviation carbon market. In the first half of 2026, carbon emissions intensity fell 4.5 percent for China's transport aircraft fleet and 12.4 percent for airports.
"Digitalization can help the industry improve operational efficiency and reduce emissions per unit of output," Lin said. "Sustainable aviation fuel, in particular, will be essential to the industry's progress toward its carbon goals, but that will depend on technological breakthroughs."
The professor added that the challenge extends beyond individual technologies. "The key is to translate innovation into stronger governance and greater development efficiency, while building a more coordinated mechanism," the professor said.
