China’s pro-business reforms have accelerated company formation during the 14th Five-Year Plan. The State Administration for Market Regulation said the country recorded a net increase of nearly 20 million enterprises between 2021 and mid-2025, alongside about 34 million newly registered self-employed households. Luo Wen, head of the regulator, credited a better business environment for the surge. Infrastructure goals have also been met ahead of schedule. The Ministry of Transport reported that 716,000 kilometres of rural roads were built or upgraded in the first four years of the plan, fulfilling the targets set for 2021-25 earlier than expected. China’s standard-setting drive continued apace. Authorities issued roughly 13,000 new national standards during the plan period, bringing the total to about 47,000. Beijing also spearheaded the formulation of 1,079 international standards and adopted another 6,900, underscoring its push to align domestic regulations with global norms.