China's State Council Information Office schedules four press briefings for Oct 20-21
In short
China's State Council Information Office announced four press briefings for 20 and 21 October 2026. They cover cultural heritage protection, industry and IT development in the first three quarters, China's response to climate change, and emergency management, all framed around the 15th Five-Year Plan period or the year to date.
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CLS and Yicai reported that the State Council Information Office would hold a press briefing on 20 October at 10:00 on strengthening cultural heritage protection during the 15th Five-Year Plan period. According to CLS, the speakers were to be Hu Kaihong (胡凯红), full-time deputy director of the Central Office for Spiritual Civilization Development and director of the Office of the Central Commission for Cultural Heritage Protection, Qin Haixiang (秦海翔), vice minister of housing and urban-rural development, Deng Chao (邓超), deputy head of the National Cultural Heritage Administration, and an official of the Ministry of Culture and Tourism. They were to answer reporters' questions. [ 1 , 2 ]
The office also set a briefing for 20 October at 15:00 on industry and IT development in the first three quarters of 2026. Wang Weiming (王卫明), chief engineer of the Ministry of Industry and Information Technology, was to present it and take questions. CLS, Yicai and China News Service carried notices or a live poster for it. [ 3 , 4 , 5 , 9 ]
For 21 October, CLS and Yicai reported a 10:00 briefing at which Li Gao (李高), vice minister of ecology and environment, would explain China's response to climate change and its part in leading global climate governance. CLS also reported a 16:00 briefing the same day, in the office's series on the opening of the 15th Five-Year Plan period, on modernising the national emergency management system and capacity. The speakers were to be Song Yuanming (宋元明), Song Shuxin (宋树欣), Zhang Ruiting (张瑞庭) and Zhang Qin (张勤). [ 6 , 7 , 8 , 10 ]
The documents contain only the announcements and do not report what was said at any of the briefings. [ 1 , 3 , 6 , 10 ]
Why it matters
The documents are schedule notices only and give no content from the briefings. They show which topics and officials the office lined up for the two days.
Key facts
- On 20 October at 10:00 the State Council Information Office was to hold a briefing on strengthening cultural heritage protection during the 15th Five-Year Plan period. [ 1 , 2 ]
- Speakers for the cultural heritage briefing were to be Hu Kaihong (胡凯红), Qin Haixiang (秦海翔, vice minister of housing and urban-rural development), Deng Chao (邓超, deputy head of the National Cultural Heritage Administration) and an official of the Ministry of Culture and Tourism. [ 1 ]
- On 20 October at 15:00 the office was to hold a briefing at which Wang Weiming (王卫明), chief engineer of the Ministry of Industry and Information Technology, presents industry and IT development in the first three quarters of 2026. [ 3 , 4 , 5 , 9 ]
- On 21 October at 10:00 Li Gao (李高), vice minister of ecology and environment, was to brief on China's response to climate change and its part in leading global climate governance. [ 6 , 7 , 8 ]
- On 21 October at 16:00 the office was to hold a briefing in its series on the opening of the 15th Five-Year Plan period, on modernising the national emergency management system and capacity. [ 10 ]
- Speakers for the emergency management briefing were to be Song Yuanming (宋元明, spokesperson and vice minister of emergency management), Song Shuxin (宋树欣, deputy head of the National Fire and Rescue Administration), Zhang Ruiting (张瑞庭, deputy head of the National Mine Safety Administration) and Zhang Qin (张勤, deputy head of the China Earthquake Administration). [ 10 ]
Confirmed by several sources
Still unclear
- What was said at the briefings The documents are advance notices or poster headlines and report no statements, figures or questions from the briefings.
- The 21 October 16:00 emergency management briefing Only one outlet, CLS, announced it in the documents.
- Who attended the cultural heritage briefing from the Ministry of Culture and Tourism The notice names only an unspecified official of the ministry.
- The State Council Information Office scheduled a 20 October briefing on cultural heritage protection in the 15th Five-Year Plan period. Reported by a single source so far
- The office scheduled a 21 October 10:00 briefing with Li Gao on China's response to climate change and global climate governance. Reported by a single source so far
What local media are saying
Timeline, local time
- On 19 October CLS announced the 20 October 10:00 cultural heritage briefing; Yicai followed at 12:55. [ 1 , 2 ]
- On 19 October CLS announced the 20 October 15:00 industry and IT briefing; Yicai followed at 14:32. [ 3 , 4 ]
- On 19 October China News Service published a live-broadcast poster headline for the industry and IT briefing. [ 5 ]
- On 20 October CLS announced the 21 October 10:00 climate briefing; Yicai followed at 09:57. [ 6 , 7 , 8 ]
- On 20 October CLS announced the 21 October 16:00 emergency management briefing. [ 10 ]