In January and February, retail sales of consumer goods reached 8.607 trillion yuan, up 2.8 percent year-on-year, with growth accelerating 1.9 percentage points from December 2025. After adjusting for price factors, real growth stood at 2 percent and services consumption, tourism, and spending on food and apparel showed strong performances, according to data from the National Bureau of Statistics.

　　Denis Depoux, global managing director at Germany-based strategy consulting firm Roland Berger, told the Global Times on the sidelines of the CDF that domestic demand in China is not limited to consumer spending but also includes corporate demand for services.

　　Over the next five years, the Chinese economy is expected to rely less on exports and manufacturing-related services, while also focusing on developing its domestic services sectors, including hospitality, healthcare, digital services, and education. All of these areas are prioritized under the 15th Five-Year Plan and are relatively open to foreign investment, Depoux said.

　　Even though growth in China"s consumer market has experienced fluctuations, the market remains attractive, and more demand can be unleashed if consumers have confidence, Depoux said, adding that such changes will not happen overnight, as boosting consumption requires not only stimulating demand but also enhancing supply.

　　A typical measure of enhancing market supply is China"s policy-backed consumer goods trade-in program, which supported sales of over 2.6 trillion yuan in 2025, benefiting more than 360 million people, data from the Ministry of Commerce showed.

　　"The new Five-Year Plan provides clear guidance for creating a more vibrant and unified domestic market while releasing domestic demand," Depoux noted, adding that it makes China one of the most attractive markets for global companies.