BEIJING, June 17 - China's Ministry of Industry and Information Technology (MIIT) told local industry authorities on Wednesday to dig deeper than headline figures when evaluating the state of industrial operations, according to an official readout of the meeting. The session was chaired by Vice Industry Minister Xin Guobin and came a day after official data showed industrial output in May outpaced expectations.
In its statement, the ministry called for more rigorous situational analysis and a stronger set of policy options. "We should strengthen situation analysis and policy reserves, accurately analyse the actual conditions and trend changes in economic operations by looking beyond the surface of data," the readout said.
The meeting unfolded amid a policy backdrop in which China has set a 2026 growth target of 4.5%-5%, a range modestly below the roughly 5% expansion recorded last year. That target reflects a policy stance that signals room to address industrial overcapacity and to rebalance the broader economy.
Officials highlighted a mix of headwinds and supports for industrial activity. On one hand, second-quarter growth has shown signs of slowing as domestic demand remains subdued and fixed-asset investment has declined. Separate indicators pointed to a stalling in factory activity in May, with new export orders contracting and input costs continuing to rise.
On the other hand, the readout noted that a global surge in demand tied to artificial intelligence has buoyed purchases of Chinese-made electronics and other AI-related goods, providing momentum to advanced manufacturing segments and helping to offset potential shocks from the Iran war.
At Wednesday's meeting the MIIT urged local officials to take steps to ensure steady industrial performance through the second quarter and to work toward meeting annual targets. The ministry emphasised the need to strike a balance between supply and demand in the economy and to prepare for seasonal pressures. It specifically called on officials to "plan well for energy supply and emergency disaster prevention and mitigation during the peak summer season."
Industry representatives from 11 provinces attended the meeting, the readout said, including delegations from major manufacturing hubs Guangdong and Jiangsu.
Context limitations - The ministry's statement and the data references outline the immediate policy priorities and mixed macro signals; the readout does not provide additional numerical detail beyond earlier-referenced indicators.