商务部：“十五五”期间将继续减少服务消费领域限制性措施

Core Viewpoint - The Chinese government aims to continue reducing restrictive measures in the service consumption sector during the "15th Five-Year Plan" period, building on the achievements of the "14th Five-Year Plan" [1][2] Group 1: Economic Growth and Consumer Market - China's retail sales of consumer goods increased from 39.2 trillion yuan in 2020 to 48.3 trillion yuan in 2022, with an average annual growth rate of 5.5% [1] - In absolute terms, China's retail sales in 2022 were approximately 80% of the United States; however, in terms of purchasing power, China's retail sales exceeded that of the U.S., being 1.6 times greater according to World Bank data [1] Group 2: Service Consumption Trends - During the "14th Five-Year Plan," service consumption in China entered a rapid growth phase, with annual growth in residents' service consumption expenditure projected at 9.6% from 2020 to 2024 [1] - The primary challenge during this phase is a supply-side shortage, particularly in high-quality service offerings [1] Group 3: Policy Initiatives - The Ministry of Commerce plans to address the shortage of high-quality services through both external and internal measures, including expanding pilot programs in sectors like healthcare and reducing restrictive measures in service consumption [1] - The government intends to convert effective and popular policies from the "14th Five-Year Plan" into long-term, sustainable policies while introducing targeted measures to stimulate commodity consumption and unleash service consumption potential [2]