China's Ministry of Culture and Tourism issued the Public Cultural Service System Construction "15th Five-Year" Plan, directing continued modernization of public libraries toward more professional, smart, open and inclusive services and cultivating a

2026-09-20

China's Ministry of Culture and Tourism issued the Public Cultural Service System Construction "15th Five-Year" Plan, directing continued modernization of public libraries toward more professional, smart, open and inclusive services and cultivating a cohort of modern libraries with distinct Chinese characteristics and world-class standing. The plan mandates adoption of AI and other new technologies to enable intelligent operations and more precise service delivery, and encourages capable public libraries to expand decision‑consulting and think‑tank services to provide information support for major national strategies.