On 9 October 2026 the Communist Party of China Central Committee and the State Council released guidelines on developing “new quality productive forces”, a term for growth driven by technological breakthroughs. One line in the Chinese text calls for building a national blockchain network. It is policy guidance, not a law, and does not say who will build the network, when, or with what money.
What the official text says
Confirmed (official text). The document is titled 中共中央 国务院关于发展新质生产力的意见, in TSN’s translation “Opinions on Developing New Quality Productive Forces”, and was published on gov.cn on 9 October [1]. The official English summary says the guidelines “outline 19 key measures in five areas” [2]. Xinhua carried the same summary [3].
Measure nine, on the “deep integration” of the real and digital economies, says the country will carry out projects including 东数西算 (“East Data West Computing”), smart manufacturing and industrial internet development, and 建设全国一体化算力网、国家区块链网络 [1]. TSN translates that as “build a nationwide integrated computing-power network and a national blockchain network”. The English summary does not mention blockchain, so the English wordings here are TSN’s own translation. The Chinese word for blockchain, 区块链, appears once in the full text [1].
The English summary adds that the 15th Five-Year Plan “sets out 28 major projects related to this goal, accounting for 25.7 percent of the 109 major projects outlined in the plan” [2]. That count covers the whole goal; neither text ties the blockchain network to any of those projects.
What a “national blockchain network” could mean
A blockchain is a shared record kept in step across many computers. On public networks such as Bitcoin, anyone can join; a permissioned network controls who can take part. The guidelines do not say which kind China intends. Reported (Crypto Briefing). The crypto news site says the plan builds on the state-run Blockchain-based Service Network (BSN), “which has operated since April 2020” and “explicitly prohibits tokens and crypto assets” [4]. The official text does not name BSN, so the link is Crypto Briefing’s reading.
BSN’s own materials fit part of that description. The State Information Center, a government body, dates BSN’s commercial launch to 25 April 2020 [5]. BSN’s help manual says its mainland open permissioned chains (开放联盟链) have access-controlled nodes and cannot use any cryptocurrencies (TSN translation) [6].
What this does not show
- A law, budget or timetable. The text names no money, deadline or operator for the network.
- That the network is BSN, or permissioned. The guidelines name neither. That comes from Crypto Briefing.
- Support for cryptocurrency. The Chinese text does not mention cryptocurrency or tokens. Crypto Briefing’s reading that tokens are kept out is its interpretation.
The Bottom Line
China’s top leadership has put a national blockchain network in an official policy document, next to a national computing-power network. The line is short. Whether it becomes a funded programme, and how it relates to BSN, is not in the text.
Related on TSN: Luxembourg Plans a Sovereign Bond Issued Natively on Blockchain, at Least EUR 1 Billion Over 10 Years; 24 Articles from Beijing: How China’s Top Court Wants AI Disputes Heard
Sources
- 中共中央 国务院, “中共中央 国务院关于发展新质生产力的意见” (“Opinions on Developing New Quality Productive Forces”), full Chinese text, gov.cn, 9 October 2026, 18:16, via Xinhua (official text; measure nine, 九). https://www.gov.cn/yaowen/liebiao/202610/content_7082819.htm
- “China issues guidelines on developing new quality productive forces”, english.gov.cn (Xinhua), 9 October 2026 (official English summary; source of “19 key measures in five areas”, “28 major projects” and “25.7 percent of the 109 major projects”; it does not mention blockchain). https://english.www.gov.cn/policies/latestreleases/202610/09/content_WS6ac8d93ec6d00ca5f9a0d95c.html
- “Update: China issues guidelines on developing new quality productive forces”, Xinhua English, 10 October 2026 (same summary text). https://english.news.cn/20261010/061b5e42c7eb41f58eb7d73df00e4ea6/c.html
- Estefano Gomez, “China calls for national blockchain network in new technology push”, Crypto Briefing, 10 October 2026 (trade press; source of the BSN link and the “explicitly prohibits tokens and crypto assets” wording; reported, not in the official text). https://cryptobriefing.com/china-orders-national-blockchain-network/
- State Information Center, “Blockchain Service Network (BSN) Commercial Launch Conference Held in Beijing”, 6 May 2020 (government page; confirms the 25 April 2020 commercial launch). https://www.sic.gov.cn/sic/595/603/0506/10622_pc.html
- BSN Development Alliance, “BSN-DDC 基础网络帮助手册” (BSN-DDC Basic Network Help Manual), V2.3.9, June 2024 (BSN’s own document; describes its open permissioned chains as permission-controlled and unable to use any cryptocurrencies). https://ddc.bsnbase.com/static/tmpFile/BSN-DDC%E5%9F%BA%E7%A1%80%E7%BD%91%E7%BB%9C%E5%B8%AE%E5%8A%A9%E6%89%8B%E5%86%8C.pdf
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