Briefing on CPC Fourth Plenum Interpretation
Official Press Release Translation and Personal Summary
I skipped the communique. If you want to read the english ver, you can read it here:
Below are some of my personal takes:
Shifting Priorities: “Building a Modernized Industrial System” and “Expanding High-Standard Opening Up” Move Up the Agenda
Compared with the communiqué of the Fifth Plenary Session of the 19th Central Committee, the latest list of 12 key tasks has repositioned “Building a Modernized Industrial System” from second to first place, while “Expanding High-Standard Opening Up” has risen from ninth to fifth.
Tasks 1 and 2 have now been redefined as “Building a Modernized Industrial System and Strengthening the Foundation of the Real Economy” and “Accelerating High-Standard Self-Reliance and Strength in Science and Technology to Lead the Development of New Quality Productive Forces,” respectively. This adjustment underscores the central leadership’s intensified focus on building a real economy anchored in a modern industrial system, with technological self-reliance serving as a fundamental support for this goal. The policy direction continues to emphasize intelligent, green, and integrated development, along with accelerating the convergence of mechanization, informatization, and intelligentization.
The previous Task 9, “Pursuing High-Standard Opening Up and Creating New Prospects for Win-Win Cooperation,” has been elevated to Task 5: “Expanding High-Standard Opening Up and Forging New Ground in Win-Win Cooperation.” This shift in both rank and wording reflects the progress made in opening up over the past five years, while signaling a more proactive and outward-looking approach in the years ahead.
In today’s official press conference, the MoFCOM Minister said, “We look at both GDP and GNI. We value not only ‘the Chinese economy’ but also ‘the economy of the Chinese people.’” This also has the meaning of encouraging enterprises’ overseas investment cause GNI counts the residents’ income overseas.
At the same time, the reiterated commitment to “sharing opportunities and pursuing common development with countries around the world” indicates that, from a government perspective, viewing the global expansion of companies also involves taking into account its impact on existing local interests. How to balance these different targets in the suggestion of the 15th FYP is worth watching.
The inclusion of “Adhere to the central task of economic development.坚持以经济建设为中心“
Such a frame was not included in the 19th Five Plenum. In the last several years, a rhetoric calling for the “exit of the private sector” emerged in China’s public discourse, which badly shook the confidence of private businesses. This statement also helps bolster that confidence.
Changing Perspective on Demands
I would highlight the phrasing “以新需求引领新供给,以新供给创造新需求”(New demand leads to new supply, and new supply creates new demand). This reflects a gradual shift in thinking over the past year. Previously, the focus was mostly on the supply side, emphasizing that “supply creates its own demand.” Now, there is a growing emphasis on the role of demand in leading and guiding supply. This time puts demand ahead of supply; this change comes as intense market involvement has emerged, where lagging demand ends up constraining the development of the production-oriented economy.
Security
I would put emphasis on the new frame, “to ensure a society that is both vibrant and orderly确保社会生机勃勃又井然有序,” to ensure a society that is both vibrant and orderly. This means that the pursuit of security must not come at the cost of societal vitality; it also reminds me of Hu Xijin’s latest post about social vibrancy:
Other:
In my view, the Fourth Plenum has also taken on the work typically reserved for the October Politburo meeting. Since the session involved an analysis of the current situation and tasks, as well as discussions on the economic work plan for the next two months.
Below is the full translation of today’s official press release I made. Then we need to wait for the full “Proposals for the 15th Five-Year Plan”
Link: http://www.scio.gov.cn/live/2025/37599/
Mo Gaoyi, Vice Minister of the Publicity Department of the CPC Central Committee and Minister of the State Council Information Office:
Ladies and gentlemen, comrades, friends from the press,
Good morning! Welcome to the press conference of the Communist Party of China (CPC) Central Committee.
From October 20 to 23, the Fourth Plenary Session of the 20th CPC Central Committee was held in Beijing. This session convened at a crucial period when China is poised to successfully accomplish the main objectives and tasks of the 14th Five-Year Plan and enter a phase of consolidating the foundation and exerting comprehensive efforts towards basically realizing socialist modernization. The plenary session deliberated and adopted the “CPC Central Committee Proposals for Formulating the 15th Five-Year Plan for National Economic and Social Development” and successfully completed all its agendas. Today, we have invited leading officials from relevant departments to introduce and interpret the spirit of the plenary session and answer your questions.
Attending today’s press conference are:
Comrade Jiang Jinquan, Director of the Central Policy Research Office;
Comrade Han Wenxiu, Vice Minister in charge of daily work at the Office of the Central Commission for Financial and Economic Affairs, and Director of the Central Rural Work Leading Group Office;
Comrade Zheng Shanjie, Secretary of the Leading Party Members’ Group and Minister of the National Development and Reform Commission;
Comrade Yin Hejun, Secretary of the Leading Party Members’ Group and Minister of the Ministry of Science and Technology;
Comrade Wang Wentao, Secretary of the Leading Party Members’ Group and Minister of the Ministry of Commerce;
Comrade Lei Haichao, Secretary of the Leading Party Members’ Group and Director of the National Health Commission.
First, let’s invite Comrade Jiang Jinquan to introduce the plenary session and the document drafting process.
Jiang Jinquan, Director of the Central Policy Research Office:
Friends from the press, good morning! I am pleased to brief you on the Fourth Plenary Session of the 20th CPC Central Committee.
As you know, the Fourth Plenary Session of the 20th CPC Central Committee was held in Beijing from October 20 to 23. The session was presided over by the Political Bureau of the CPC Central Committee, with General Secretary Xi Jinping delivering an important speech. Members and alternate members of the CPC Central Committee attended the session. Standing Committee members of the CPC Central Commission for Discipline Inspection, leading officials from relevant departments, as well as some grassroots comrades and experts and scholars who are delegates to the 20th CPC National Congress were also present. The session heard and discussed the work report delivered by General Secretary Xi Jinping on behalf of the Political Bureau of the CPC Central Committee, and deliberated and adopted the “CPC Central Committee Proposals for Formulating the 15th Five-Year Plan for National Economic and Social Development.” The session successfully completed all its agendas.
The plenary session fully affirmed the work of the Political Bureau of the CPC Central Committee since the Third Plenary Session. It was unanimously agreed that facing a complex and volatile international environment and arduous domestic tasks of reform, development, and stability, the Political Bureau of the CPC Central Committee has earnestly implemented the spirit of the 20th CPC National Congress and successive plenary sessions, coordinated efforts to advance all undertakings of the Party and the state while focusing on four major tasks, promoted sustained economic recovery and improvement, and is on the verge of successfully completing the main objectives and tasks of the 14th Five-Year Plan, making new solid strides in Chinese modernization.
Jiang Jinquan:
The most significant outcome of the plenary session was the deliberation and adoption of the “Proposals.” Scientifically formulating and successively implementing five-year plans is an important experience in our Party’s governance and a significant political strength of socialism with Chinese characteristics. Many foreign political parties envy us for this. The 20th CPC National Congress set the goal of basically realizing socialist modernization by 2035. The period of the 15th Five-Year Plan is crucial for consolidating the foundation and exerting comprehensive efforts. Formulating the proposals for the 15th Five-Year Plan and systematically planning economic and social development during this period are necessary to realize the grand blueprint outlined by the 20th CPC National Congress and advance Chinese modernization in stages and steps. It is necessary to effectively respond to new changes in the complex and severe external environment and win strategic initiative in fierce international competition. It is also necessary to meet the phased requirements of China’s development and deeply promote high-quality development. The significance is profound.
The drafting of the “Proposals” was carried out under the leadership of the Party Central Committee. General Secretary Xi Jinping personally served as the head of the drafting group, personally planned, provided guidance throughout the process, and set the direction, playing a decisive role. The drafting group earnestly implemented the important instructions of General Secretary Xi Jinping, adhered to the correct direction, stood firm on the people’s stance, paid attention to the general trends, strengthened strategic planning, and made great efforts to promote democracy, pool wisdom, and build consensus. There were two major rounds of soliciting opinions. The first round began on January 22 this year, when the CPC Central Committee issued a notice soliciting opinions from all regions and departments on studying the proposals for the 15th Five-Year Plan. In May, General Secretary Xi Jinping issued important instructions on the formulation of the 15th Five-Year Plan, emphasizing the need to “uphold scientific, democratic, and law-based decision-making” and “solicit opinions and suggestions from the people and all sectors of society in various ways, fully absorbing the fresh experience created by cadres and the masses in practice.” Leading by example, General Secretary Xi Jinping personally presided over two symposiums to hear opinions from leading officials of seven provinces, autonomous regions, and municipalities directly under the central government, and from non-CPC figures respectively. He also entrusted Premier Li Qiang to preside over three symposiums to hear opinions from representatives of economic, scientific, and technological circles, and grassroots representatives. From May to June, relevant central departments organized a one-month online campaign to solicit public opinions on the formulation of the 15th Five-Year Plan, receiving over 3.113 million valid suggestions. The second round occurred after the draft of the “Proposals” was formed. On August 4, the Party Central Committee distributed the draft to all regions, departments, and relevant units for comments. A total of 2,112 modification suggestions were received. After in-depth study, the drafting group adopted 452 of them, an absorption rate of 21.4%. It can be said that the drafting of the “Proposals” was another vivid practice of promoting intra-Party democracy and whole-process people’s democracy, demonstrating the firm political stance of the Party Central Committee with Comrade Xi Jinping at its core in respecting the people’s principal position in history, doing everything for the people, and relying closely on the people.
Jiang Jinquan:
The “Proposals” will be released soon. They comprise 15 parts and 61 articles, divided into three sections. The first section is the general introduction, including the first and second parts, mainly elaborating on the major achievements in China’s development during the 14th Five-Year Plan period, the great significance of doing well in economic and social development during the 15th Five-Year Plan period, and the overall requirements. The second section, from the third to the fourteenth parts, constitutes the specific elaboration, deploying strategic tasks and major measures for the 15th Five-Year Plan period across various fields. The third section consists of the fifteenth part and the concluding remarks, mainly deploying tasks such as upholding and strengthening centralized, unified leadership of the Party Central Committee and advancing the development of socialist democracy and the rule of law.
During the plenary session, participants engaged in enthusiastic discussions on the “Proposals” and spoke highly of them. It was generally believed that the “Proposals” represent another important programmatic document in the history of our Party. Its guiding principles are scientific and precise, development goals are clear and definite, and tasks and measures are pragmatic and realistic. It is another general mobilization and deployment to build on the momentum and continue advancing Chinese modernization, and will surely exert a significant and far-reaching impact on the development of the Party and the state.
That concludes my introduction. Thank you!
Mo Gaoyi:
Thank you, Comrade Jiang Jinquan. Now, let’s invite Comrade Han Wenxiu to introduce the analysis of the situation during the 15th Five-Year Plan period, the guiding principles and main objectives for economic and social development, as well as agriculture and rural affairs.
Han Wenxiu, Vice Minister in charge of daily work at the Office of the Central Commission for Financial and Economic Affairs and Director of the Central Rural Work Leading Group Office:
Hello, everyone! The “Proposals” for the 15th Five-Year Plan adopted by the Fourth Plenary Session of the 20th CPC Central Committee accurately grasp the historical position of China’s development, deeply analyze the international and domestic situations, clarify the guiding principles and main objectives for economic and social development during the 15th Five-Year Plan period, outline a grand blueprint for development over the next five years, and point the way forward for further advancing Chinese modernization. Below, I will provide an introduction to some relevant content.
First, regarding the overall assessment of China’s development environment during the 15th Five-Year Plan period. The “Proposals” point out that relations among major countries shape the international situation, and the evolution of the international situation profoundly impacts domestic development. China’s development is in a period where strategic opportunities and risk challenges coexist, with increasing uncertain and unpredictable factors. Internationally, profound changes unseen in a century are accelerating, with deep adjustments in the international balance of power. China possesses many favorable factors to proactively manage the international space and shape the external environment. At the same time, the world is beset with intertwined transformations and turbulence, with major-power competition becoming more complex and intense. The uncertainty and instability of the external environment are rising, and risks and challenges are increasing. However, dangers contain opportunities, and dangers can be turned into opportunities. We must carry forward the spirit of historical initiative to overcome difficulties, confront risks, and meet challenges, ensuring the steady and sustained progress of Chinese modernization. Domestically, China’s economy enjoys a solid foundation, multiple advantages, strong resilience, and great potential. The supporting conditions and fundamental trend of long-term improvement remain unchanged. During the 15th Five-Year Plan period, we must build on the momentum and rise to the challenge, fully leverage the strengths of the socialist system with Chinese characteristics, the advantage of a mega-sized market, a complete industrial system, and abundant talent resources, and translate these strengths into tangible results for high-quality development.
Second, regarding the guiding principles for economic and social development during the 15th Five-Year Plan period. The “Proposals” emphasize the need to fully implement Xi Jinping Thought on Socialism with Chinese Characteristics for a New Era, focus on building China into a great modern socialist country in all respects and realizing the Second Centenary Goal, advance the rejuvenation of the Chinese nation on all fronts through a Chinese path to modernization, coordinate the Five-Sphere Integrated Plan and the Four-Pronged Comprehensive Strategy, balance domestic and international imperatives, fully, accurately, and comprehensively implement the new development philosophy, and accelerate the establishment of a new development paradigm. The “Proposals” put forward the requirements of “five withs,” “two promotes,” and “one ensures”: adhere to economic development as the central task, take promoting high-quality development as the theme, take reform and innovation as the fundamental driving force, take meeting the people’s ever-growing needs for a better life as the fundamental purpose, take exercising full and rigorous Party self-governance as the fundamental guarantee; promote qualitative and effective improvement as well as reasonable growth in the economy; promote solid steps in the all-around development of the person and common prosperity for all; and ensure decisive progress in basically realizing socialist modernization. The “Proposals” state that economic and social development during the 15th Five-Year Plan period must follow the principles of “six upholds”: uphold the Party’s overall leadership; uphold a people-centered approach; uphold high-quality development; uphold comprehensively deepening reform; uphold the combination of an effective market and a capable government; and uphold balancing development and security. The guiding ideology and principles set out in the “Proposals” are consistent with previous five-year plans while also keeping pace with the times and upholding fundamental principles while breaking new ground, demonstrating strong ideological depth, strategic vision, and guiding significance.
Third, regarding the main objectives for economic and social development during the 15th Five-Year Plan period. These include seven aspects: First, significant achievements in high-quality development, with economic growth maintained within a reasonable range and a noticeable increase in the household consumption rate. Second, a substantial improvement in the level in scientific and technological self-reliance and self-improvement, with breakthroughs in core technologies in key fields and deeper integration of scientific and technological innovation with industrial innovation. Third, new breakthroughs in comprehensively deepening reform, with a more robust socialist market economy system and more mature systems and mechanisms for high-standard opening up. Fourth, a marked rise in the level of social civility, with stronger cultural confidence and sustained enhancement of the country’s soft power. Fifth, continuous improvement in people’s quality of life, with new progress in high-quality and full employment and a noticeable increase in the level of equal access to basic public services. Sixth, new major progress in building a Beautiful China, with the carbon peak target achieved as scheduled and a continuous reduction in the total discharge of major pollutants. Seventh, a more consolidated national security shield, with effective prevention and resolution of risks in key areas. These objectives are both inspiring and realistic. We believe that over the next five years, China’s comprehensive national strength, including both hard and soft power, will continue to grow, its international standing will continue to rise, and people’s lives will become more happy and prosperous, laying a more solid foundation for basically realizing socialist modernization by 2035. Following past practice, the “Proposals” mainly set qualitative targets. Specific quantitative indicators and major projects will be specified in the “Outline of the 15th Five-Year Plan.”
Here, I will specifically introduce accelerating agricultural and rural modernization and solidly promoting all-around rural revitalization. Agricultural and rural modernization concerns the overall situation and quality of Chinese modernization and represents the biggest shortcoming that needs to be prioritized. The “Proposals” emphasize placing resolving issues relating to agriculture, rural areas, and rural people high on the agenda of the entire Party, promoting integrated urban-rural development, and accelerating the building of a strong agricultural sector. First, enhance comprehensive agricultural production capacity, quality, and efficiency. Adhere to a holistic approach focusing on output and capacity, production and ecology, and increasing output and income simultaneously. Coordinate the development of scientific, green, quality-oriented, and branded agriculture to build agriculture into a modern, large-scale industry. Focus on farmland protection and agricultural scientific and technological innovation to ensure China’s food security. Second, improve the effectiveness of policies to strengthen agriculture, benefit farmers, and increase rural incomes. Improve the pattern of diversified investment with fiscal priority guarantees, key financial support, and active social participation. Strengthen policy support such as pricing, subsidies, and insurance, continuously increase farmers’ incomes, and persistently consolidate and expand the achievements in poverty alleviation. Third, advance the building of beautiful and livable villages with vibrant businesses. Deeply study and apply the experience of the “Project of Building 1,000 Model Villages,” promote rural revitalization in a categorized, orderly, and area-based manner, and solve problems such as rural toilet retrofitting and waste disposal with perseverance. Gradually improve the completeness of rural infrastructure, the convenience of public services, and the comfort of the living environment, so that rural areas basically meet modern living conditions and create high-quality living spaces. Thank you!
Mo Gaoyi:
Thank you, Comrade Han Wenxiu. Now, let’s invite Comrade Zheng Shanjie to introduce aspects such as industrial development, the domestic market, and regional development during the 15th Five-Year Plan period.
Zheng Shanjie, Secretary of the Leading Party Members’ Group and Minister of the National Development and Reform Commission:
Thank you, host. Good morning, everyone! The “Proposals” make comprehensive arrangements for economic and social development during the 15th Five-Year Plan period. I will briefly introduce three aspects: industry, market, and region.
First, the industry aspect: building a modern industrial system. China’s economy was built on the real economy and will rely on it for its future. The “Proposals” explicitly place “Building a modern industrial system and consolidating and strengthening the foundation of the real economy” as the first strategic task, deploying key tasks in four areas. We understand this can be grasped from four perspectives: “consolidating and upgrading, fostering innovation and nurturing the new, expanding capacity and improving quality, and strengthening the foundation and enhancing efficiency.”
Consolidating and upgrading means optimizing and upgrading traditional industries. Traditional industries constitute the “foundation” of China’s current industrial system, accounting for about 80% of the value added in manufacturing. The “Proposals” propose measures to promote the quality upgrading of key industries, consolidate and enhance the status and competitiveness of industries such as chemicals, machinery, and shipbuilding in the global industrial division of labor, and develop clusters of advanced manufacturing. This will accelerate the qualitative and effective improvement and reasonable growth of traditional industries. It is preliminarily estimated that this will create a new market space of about 10 trillion yuan over the next five years, unleashing huge development momentum and livelihood benefits.
Fostering innovation and nurturing the new means cultivating and expanding emerging and future industries. In 2024, the value added of China’s “new industries, new forms of business and new business models” economy exceeded 18% of GDP. The “Proposals” propose building emerging pillar industries, accelerating the cluster development of strategic emerging industries such as new energy, new materials, aerospace, and low-altitude economy, which will give rise to several trillion-yuan or even larger markets. The “Proposals” also propose making forward-looking arrangements for future industries, promoting quantum technology, bio-manufacturing, hydrogen and nuclear fusion energy, brain-computer interfaces, embodied artificial intelligence, and sixth-generation mobile communications to become new economic growth points. These industries, gathering momentum, are expected to add new scale over the next decade equivalent to recreating China’s high-tech industry, injecting continuous new momentum into China’s economic growth and high-quality development.
Expanding capacity and improving quality means promoting the high-quality and efficient development of the services sector. China’s services sector still has enormous potential for expansion and quality improvement. The “Proposals” propose implementing actions to expand capacity and improve quality in services, enhancing the integrated development level of modern services with advanced manufacturing and modern agriculture, and other measures. This will accelerate the reshaping and optimization of the economic ecosystem, better meet the people’s needs for a better life, and open up new space for economic growth, representing another huge new market.
Strengthening the foundation and enhancing efficiency means building a modern infrastructure system. China already has the world’s largest high-speed rail, expressway, port, postal and express delivery, power, and broadband infrastructure networks. The “Proposals” propose measures such as strengthening overall infrastructure planning, appropriately advancing the construction of new infrastructure, and improving the modern comprehensive transportation system. This will better promote the interconnected, synergistic, integrated, safe, and efficient development of infrastructure and play a stronger supporting and safeguarding role.
The second aspect is the market: building a strong domestic market. Major economies are all domestically demand-driven. The market is the world’s scarcest resource today. A strong domestic market is the strategic foundation for Chinese modernization. The “Proposals” propose adhering to the strategic basis of expanding domestic demand and deploy key tasks in three areas. We understand that implementing this requires grasping three key points: “expanding increments, enhancing efficiency, and smoothing circulation.”
First, expanding increments. China has both space and potential to expand domestic demand. The “Proposals” propose closely integrating efforts to benefit people’s livelihoods with efforts to boost consumption, and investments in physical assets with investments in human capital; deeply implementing actions to invigorate consumption; expanding service consumption; promoting the expansion and upgrading of goods consumption; maintaining reasonable growth in investment; advancing the construction of the “Two Major Projects” (key projects in key sectors) with high quality; implementing a number of major landmark projects; and improving the long-term mechanism for private enterprises to participate in major projects. These measures will expand domestic demand comprehensively and drive sustained upward momentum in China’s economy.
Second, enhancing efficiency. China’s annual scale of fixed asset investment has reached 50 trillion yuan. However, tasks such as benefiting people’s livelihoods, addressing shortcomings, and fostering new momentum remain heavy. We must better allocate funds, especially government funds, to critical areas of development and people’s lives. To this end, the “Proposals” propose optimizing the structure of government investment, increasing the proportion of government investment in livelihood-related areas, coordinating the use of various types of government investment, and strengthening the whole-process management of government investment. These measures will better leverage the catalytic role of government investment and continuously enhance the comprehensive benefits of investment.
Third, smoothing circulation. A unified national market is essential for smooth circulation. The number of items on China’s market access negative list has been reduced from 328 to 106, and over 4,200 policies hindering factor flows have been abolished. However, there are still many bottlenecks and blockages. To address this, the “Proposals” propose unifying the basic institutional rules of the market, eliminating local protectionism and market fragmentation, standardizing local government economic promotion behavior, unifying market regulation and enforcement, and comprehensively addressing “involutionary” competition. These measures will more effectively and forcefully dismantle various market obstacles and fully unleash the dividends of China’s mega-sized market.
The third aspect is regional: promoting coordinated regional development. Since the 20th CPC National Congress, General Secretary Xi Jinping has made a series of new arrangements for deepening the implementation of regional development strategies. These must be consistently implemented during the 15th Five-Year Plan period. The “Proposals” deploy key tasks in five areas. We understand these can be summarized as “three emphases.”
First, emphasizing optimized layout. Firstly, optimize the regional layout. The “Proposals” call for achieving new breakthroughs in the four major regions (eastern, central, western, and northeastern China), the three major growth poles (Beijing-Tianjin-Hebei, Yangtze River Delta, and Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macao Greater Bay Area), and the two green development belts (Yangtze River Economic Belt and Yellow River Basin). They also propose promoting the construction of “hard connectivity” facilities like cross-regional and cross-basin corridors and improving “soft coordination” mechanisms such as inter-regional planning coordination, industrial collaboration, and benefit sharing. Secondly, optimize the territorial spatial pattern. The “Proposals” propose strengthening the implementation of the functional zoning strategy and promoting the layout optimization of strategic industries and energy resource bases.
Second, emphasizing new urbanization. The “Proposals” propose further advancing people-centered new urbanization, promoting the orderly urbanization of rural migrants in a science-based manner, and vigorously implementing urban renewal actions. This will effectively promote a virtuous cycle of investment and consumption, containing enormous domestic demand potential. For example, during the 15th Five-Year Plan period, it is estimated that over 700,000 kilometers of underground pipelines will be built or renovated, requiring new investment exceeding 5 trillion yuan.
Third, emphasizing integrated land-sea development. China’s marine economy has exceeded 10 trillion yuan in scale. The “Proposals” propose strengthening marine development, utilization, and protection; strengthening ecological environmental protection and restoration in key sea areas; and resolutely safeguarding maritime rights, interests, and security. This will further promote the high-quality development of the marine economy and accelerate the building of China into a strong maritime country.
Next, the National Development and Reform Commission will, in accordance with the deployments of the Party Central Committee and the State Council, carefully benchmark against the “Proposals,” promptly draft the “Outline of the 15th Five-Year Plan,” and strive to formulate a high-quality plan that meets reality and responds to expectations.
Thank you!
Mo Gaoyi:
Thank you, Comrade Zheng Shanjie. Now, let’s invite Comrade Yin Hejun to introduce aspects such as science, technology, and innovation during the 15th Five-Year Plan period.
Yin Hejun, Secretary of the Leading Party Members’ Group and Minister of the Ministry of Science and Technology:
Friends from the press, next I will focus on strengthening scientific and technological innovation and developing new quality productive forces.
The 20th CPC National Congress set the strategic goal of building China into a leading country in science and technology by 2035. The Fourth Plenary Session of the 20th CPC Central Committee proposed accelerating self-reliance and self-improvement in high-level science and technology to lead the development of new quality productive forces. This is a major strategic decision made by the Party Central Committee with Comrade Xi Jinping at its core based on a profound insight into domestic and international development trends and an accurate grasp of the laws governing science, technology, and economic and social development.
During the 14th Five-Year Plan period, China’s scientific and technological strength reached a new level, with abundant achievements in innovation and steady development of new quality productive forces, laying a solid foundation for economic and social development during the 15th Five-Year Plan period. In 2024, national R&D expenditure exceeded 3.6 trillion yuan, an increase of 48% compared to 2020. China ranked first globally for five consecutive years in the number of high-level international journal papers and international patent applications. The country’s comprehensive innovation capability ranking rose from 14th in 2020 to 10th in 2024. The integration of scientific and technological innovation with industrial innovation accelerated. The value added of large-scale high-tech manufacturing increased by 42% compared to the end of the 13th Five-Year Plan period. Frontier fields such as artificial intelligence, new energy, and biotechnology are forming new economic growth points. Scientific and technological innovation has made the skies bluer, the water clearer, and health better protected, bringing more sense of gain, happiness, and security to the people.
Looking ahead to the next five years, the “Proposals” state that Chinese modernization must be supported by the modernization of science and technology. During the 15th Five-Year Plan period, we must seize the historic opportunity of a new round of scientific and technological revolution and industrial transformation, coordinate the building of an education, science and technology, and talent powerhouse, enhance the overall efficiency of the national innovation system, comprehensively strengthen the capacity for independent innovation, accelerate self-reliance and self-improvement in high-level science and technology, and lead the development of new quality productive forces. The “Proposals” make deployments in four aspects:
First, strengthen original innovation and breakthroughs in core technologies in key fields. Improve the new system for mobilizing resources nationwide, and promote decisive breakthroughs in core technologies across the entire chain in key fields such as integrated circuits, industrial machinery, and high-end instruments. Highlight national strategic needs and deploy and implement a number of major national science and technology tasks. Strengthen the strategic, forward-looking, and systematic layout of basic research and increase long-term stable support. Strengthen the original innovation orientation in scientific research and technological development to produce more landmark original achievements.
Second, promote the deep integration of scientific and technological innovation with industrial innovation. Coordinate the building of national strategic scientific and technological strength to enhance systematic tackling capacity. Strengthen the independent guarantee of basic scientific and technological conditions, improve the regional innovation system, accelerate the efficient transformation and application of major scientific and technological achievements, and strengthen intellectual property protection. Strengthen the principal position of enterprises in scientific and technological innovation, support enterprises in leading the formation of innovation consortia and undertaking more national science and technology research tasks. Cultivate and expand leading science and technology enterprises, support the development of high-tech enterprises and small and medium-sized sci-tech enterprises, and increase the proportion of R&D expenses eligible for additional tax deductions. Foster an innovation culture and create an open innovation ecosystem with global competitiveness.
Third, advance education, science and technology, and talent development in an integrated manner. Establish and improve coordinated mechanisms for integrated advancement, strengthening planning linkage, policy synergy, resource coordination, and evaluation interaction. Cultivate talent collaboratively around the needs of scientific and technological innovation, industrial development, and national strategy, and accelerate the building of a contingent of strategic talent. Take innovation capability, quality, effectiveness, and contribution as the evaluation orientation, and deepen reforms in project assessment, institutional evaluation, talent evaluation, and income distribution.
Fourth, further advance the building of Digital China. Build an open, shared, and secure nationally integrated data market to promote the deep integration of the real economy and the digital economy. Accelerate innovation in digital and intelligent technologies such as artificial intelligence and strengthen the efficient supply of computing power, algorithms, and data. Comprehensively implement the “AI Plus” initiative to empower all industries comprehensively.
We believe that after five years of hard work, China’s scientific and technological strength will reach another major milestone. The role of scientific and technological innovation in leading new quality productive forces and promoting high-quality development will achieve greater results, providing stronger support for Chinese modernization. Thank you.
Mo Gaoyi:
Thank you, Comrade Yin Hejun. Now, let’s invite Comrade Wang Wentao to introduce aspects such as opening up during the 15th Five-Year Plan period.
Wang Wentao, Secretary of the Leading Party Members’ Group and Minister of the Ministry of Commerce:
Friends from the press, good morning! I will briefly introduce the content related to opening up.
The plenary session devoted a specific chapter to expanding high-standard opening up, reflecting the high importance that the Party Central Committee with Comrade Xi Jinping at its core attaches to opening up and releasing a strong signal of China’s commitment to open cooperation and mutual benefit. You can feel:
First, opening up is an important magic weapon for promoting reform and driving development. In recent years, our reforms and opening up have mutually reinforced each other. We have continuously reduced barriers “at the border” and “behind the border” that constrain factor flows and steadily expanded institutional opening up. Our goods trade has ranked first globally for eight consecutive years, service trade has exceeded one trillion US dollars, foreign investment achieved the “14th Five-Year Plan” target ahead of schedule, and outbound investment has steadily ranked among the top three globally. High-standard opening up has become a powerful engine for China’s economic development.
Second, opening up is the broad road to developing oneself and benefiting the world. In 2024, China was the main trading partner for over 150 countries and regions. During the “14th Five-Year Plan” period, imports of goods and services will exceed 15 trillion US dollars. Cumulative outbound investment paid over 300 billion US dollars in taxes for host countries and created a large number of jobs, promoting local industrialization and modernization. High-standard opening up has become a great cause that benefits both China and the world.
Third, opening up is a firm choice to grasp the trend and forge ahead despite challenges. Currently, although unilateralism and protectionism are on the rise, economic globalization remains the historical trend. China is unwavering in expanding opening up, promoting the continuous improvement of the China International Import Expo (CIIE), conducting opening-up trials in pilot free trade zones, and declaring that as a responsible major developing country, China will not seek new special and differential treatment in current and future WTO negotiations. China promotes common openness through its own opening up, injecting certainty and positive energy into the world.
Regarding opening up during the 15th Five-Year Plan period, the “Proposals” make important deployments in four aspects.
First, actively expand autonomous opening up. Our opening up caters to both China’s needs and the world’s expectations. We must proactively align with high-standard international economic and trade rules, with a focus on the service sector, to expand market access and open areas. To expand the “circle of friends” in trade and economy, accelerate the process of regional and bilateral trade and investment agreements and expand the network of high-standard free trade zones. Focus on creating open highlands and doing well in various open pilot tests and trials.
Second, promote innovation in trade development. The “Proposals” address the three pillars of building a strong trading nation: goods trade, service trade, and digital trade. For goods trade: expand trade in intermediate goods and green trade, and promote market diversification and the integration of domestic and foreign trade. For service trade: improve the negative list management system for cross-border service trade. For digital trade: expand opening up in the digital field in an orderly manner. At the same time, we will promote balanced development of imports and exports, intensify efforts to expand imports, meeting both the needs of industrial transformation and upgrading and the people’s aspirations for a better life.
Third, expand two-way investment cooperation. We will polish the “Invest in China” brand, shape new advantages for attracting foreign investment, effectively implement “access and operation,” and create a transparent, stable, and predictable institutional environment. Effectively implement outbound investment management, improve comprehensive overseas service systems, and guide the rational and orderly cross-border layout of industrial and supply chains. We value both GDP and GNI, and attach importance to both the “Chinese economy” and the “economy of the Chinese people.”
Fourth, high-quality Belt and Road cooperation. The Belt and Road Initiative is not a “solo” but a “chorus.” We will strengthen strategic alignment with partner countries, coordinate the advancement of major landmark projects and “small yet smart” livelihood projects; deepen practical cooperation in trade, investment, industry, and people-to-people exchanges; and expand cooperation in green development, digital economy, artificial intelligence, and other fields.
General Secretary Xi Jinping emphasized that in the past, our opening up was about “keeping pace,” but now it is about “leading the way.” We will promote the implementation of all decisions and deployments in the “Proposals,” continuously raise the level of opening up, and expand the development space for Chinese modernization.
That concludes my introduction. Thank you!
Mo Gaoyi:
Thank you, Comrade Wang Wentao. Now, let’s invite Comrade Lei Haichao to introduce aspects such as health and population development during the 15th Five-Year Plan period.
Lei Haichao, Secretary of the Leading Party Members’ Group and Director of the National Health Commission:
Friends from the press, good morning! I am pleased to introduce the content related to health and population development from the Fourth Plenary Session. General Secretary Xi Jinping emphasized that people’s health is an important hallmark of socialist modernization. The 20th CPC National Congress proposed building a Healthy China by 2035, a historic task that is very challenging but also has very bright prospects. The Third Plenary Session of the 20th CPC Central Committee proposed implementing the Healthy China initiative as a priority strategy. This Fourth Plenary Session has further made corresponding plans for accelerating the building of a Healthy China and promoting high-quality population development, fully reflecting the high importance that the Party Central Committee with Comrade Xi Jinping at its core attaches to people’s health and high-quality population development.
Friends from the press may note that since the “14th Five-Year Plan,” China’s health and population development have made significant progress. We have built the world’s largest medical service system, disease prevention and control system, and medical security system. During the “14th Five-Year Plan” period, we withstood the impact and test of the once-in-a-century pandemic, creating a miracle in human history where a country with a large population successfully emerged from a major pandemic. The average life expectancy of Chinese people has continued to improve and increase. By the end of 2024, the average life expectancy of Chinese residents reached 79 years, a remarkable achievement among developing countries. Looking back on these years of development, we are full of confidence. Looking to the future, we feel the prospects are bright. At the same time, we also recognize that there are still imbalances and inadequacies in health development and population public services, and we need to work hard to meet people’s new expectations for a better and healthier life. Therefore, the “Proposals,” based on promoting solid steps in the all-around development of the person and common prosperity for all, have made further plans and deployments for health and population.
Specifically, in accelerating the building of a Healthy China, the following key tasks are deployed: First, implement the Healthy China initiative as a priority strategy. The Party’s health work policy for the new era proposes to “integrate health into all policies and ensure shared contribution and benefits by all.” The “Proposals” explicitly implement the Healthy China initiative as a priority strategy, improve the policy and institutional system for health promotion, enhance the effectiveness of the Patriotic Health Campaign, and increase average life expectancy and people’s health levels. This requires us to implement the strategic requirements of priority development in planning, public investment, governance, and performance over the next five years. Second, balance development and security to provide strong guarantees and support for economic and social development. The “Proposals” specify strengthening public health capabilities and preventing and controlling major infectious diseases. Actively conduct comprehensive prevention and control of chronic diseases. Comprehensively enhance emergency response, blood supply security, and emergency capabilities. Strengthen mental health and psychiatric services. Third, provide the people with equitable, accessible, systematic, continuous, high-quality, and efficient health services. The “Proposals” specify improving the need-based allocation and standardized management of medical resources, advancing tiered diagnosis and treatment, promoting provincial-level pooling of basic medical insurance, optimizing policies on centralized pharmaceutical procurement, medical insurance payment, and the use of surplus funds. Deepen public hospital reforms focusing on public welfare in areas such as staffing, service pricing, salary systems, and comprehensive supervision, and strengthen operational guarantees for county and grassroots medical institutions. Optimize the functional positioning and layout of medical institutions and implement the medical and health strengthening foundation project. Promote the inheritance and innovation of traditional Chinese medicine and foster integrated traditional Chinese and Western medicine. Support the development of innovative drugs and medical devices.
In promoting high-quality population development, the following key tasks are deployed: First, build a birth-friendly society. The “Proposals” specify advocating positive views on marriage and childbirth, optimizing childbirth support policies and incentive policies, leveraging the comprehensive effects of policies such as childcare subsidies and tax deductions, deepening demonstration pilots for childcare service subsidies, developing affordable childcare and integrated childcare and preschool education services, and effectively reducing the cost of childbirth, childcare, and education for families. Improve and implement maternity insurance and maternity leave systems. Strengthen health services for women and children. Second, promote elderly care. Improve policy mechanisms for the coordinated development of development-oriented elderly care services and the elderly care industry. Optimize the supply of basic elderly care services. Develop integrated medical and elderly care services. Implement long-term care insurance, improve the care system for elderly people with disabilities or dementia, and expand the supply of rehabilitation nursing and palliative care services. Third, promote active aging. Prudently implement a gradual, flexible, and differentiated approach to delaying the statutory retirement age, optimize age restriction policies in employment and social security, actively develop elderly human resources, and develop the silver economy. Health work and population services should not only focus on key groups such as the elderly, children, and women but also provide the entire population with comprehensive services covering prevention, healthcare, diagnosis, treatment, and rehabilitation throughout the chain, providing a solid health foundation and population foundation for Chinese modernization. Thank you.
Mo Gaoyi:
Thank you, Comrade Lei Haichao. Now, let’s invite Comrade Jiang Jinquan to introduce aspects such as strengthening Party leadership.
Jiang Jinquan:
I am pleased to introduce this aspect to friends from the press. Upholding and strengthening the Party’s overall leadership is the fundamental guarantee for advancing Chinese modernization. The “Proposals” make a series of strategic deployments around upholding and strengthening centralized, unified leadership of the Party Central Committee and fostering a clean political ecosystem.
First, improve the mechanism for implementing major decisions and deployments of the Party Central Committee to ensure they are fully and effectively implemented. Consistently use the Party’s innovative theories to unify thinking, will, and action. Develop intra-Party democracy, improve and implement democratic centralism, and uphold scientific, democratic, and law-based decision-making. This is key to maintaining the correct development direction, enhancing synergy in development, effectively responding to various risks and challenges, and ensuring the steady and sustained progress of economic and social development.
Second, adhere to the correct orientation in selecting and appointing officials, place political criteria first, establish and practice the correct view of achievements, improve the cadre assessment and evaluation mechanism, adjust cadres unfit for their posts, and normalize the practice of promoting or demoting leading officials. Strengthen education, training, and practical experience to enhance the modernization capabilities of the cadre contingent. Combine strict oversight with care and support, and balance incentives with constraints to stimulate the internal motivation and overall vitality of the cadre contingent. These are effective measures to select and appoint capable and effective cadres who shoulder responsibilities and achieve results, and to stimulate their enthusiasm, initiative, and creativity.
Third, coordinate the development of primary-level Party organizations in all fields, enhance their political functions and organizational strength, and give play to the vanguard and exemplary role of Party members. This is an inherent requirement for improving the capacity of primary-level Party organizations in all fields to lead primary-level governance, serve the people, and advance reform and development.
Fourth, persevere in implementing the central Party leadership’s eight-point decision on conduct, resolutely curb all undesirable practices, and promote the normalization and long-term effectiveness of work style improvement. Deepen the work of combating pointless formalities to reduce the burden on the primary level. This is an important measure to consolidate and expand the achievements of the educational campaign on the central Party leadership’s eight-point decision and to rally strength for development with fine conduct.
Fifth, oppose corruption with unswerving resolve. Improve the Party and state oversight systems, and strengthen the regulation and oversight of the allocation and exercise of the power. Maintain clarity and firmness that the fight against corruption is forever on the march, advance the integrated effort to see that officials do not have the audacity, opportunity, or desire to be corrupt, and resolutely fight the tough and protracted battle against corruption. This fully demonstrates our Party’s firm resolve to maintain zero tolerance for corruption, severely punish it, and never relent until corruption is eradicated.
Thank you.
Mo Gaoyi:
Thank you, Comrade Jiang Jinquan. Now we move to the Q&A session. Friends from the press, please identify your news organization when asking questions. You may begin.
CCTV, China Media Group:
My question is: With only 10 years left until the basic realization of socialist modernization in 2035, it can be said that the people eagerly anticipate this, and both domestic and international communities are highly attentive. May I ask what important position and role the five years of the “15th Five-Year Plan” will play in this historical process? Thank you.
Han Wenxiu:
Realizing socialist modernization is a historical process of progressive advancement and continuous development. Since the 18th CPC National Congress, under the strong leadership of the CPC Central Committee with Comrade Xi Jinping at its core, we have comprehensively built a moderately prosperous society and achieved the First Centenary Goal. The 20th CPC National Congress clarified the “two-step” strategic plan for building China into a great modern socialist country and advancing toward the Second Centenary Goal. The first step – basically realizing socialist modernization by 2035 – requires relentless efforts across three Five-Year Plan periods from the “14th Five-Year Plan” to the “16th Five-Year Plan.” The “15th Five-Year Plan” period is a critical phase for consolidating the foundation and exerting comprehensive efforts toward basically realizing socialist modernization, bearing a pivotal position connecting past and future. From now to 2035, there are only ten years. Only by achieving successful development in the first five years can we strive for greater initiative. We must, with a sense of urgency that brooks no delay and a historical mission of seizing the day, scientifically plan economic and social development for the next five years, firmly grasp the window of opportunity, consolidate and expand advantages, break through bottlenecks and constraints, strengthen weaknesses and shortcomings, and promote major breakthroughs in strategic tasks crucial to the overall situation of Chinese modernization.
Particularly in the field of economic and social development, we must further consolidate the foundation and exert comprehensive efforts. We will focus on promoting effective qualitative improvement and reasonable quantitative growth in the economy, fully unleashing economic growth potential, and striving to advance from a middle-income country to the level of a moderately developed country. We will focus on achieving major breakthroughs in developing new quality productive forces, accelerating the cultivation of new momentum, and strengthening new engines for economic growth. We will focus on comprehensively optimizing and upgrading the structures of both supply and demand, adhering to the close integration of benefiting people’s livelihoods and boosting consumption, and investing in physical assets and investing in human capital, fostering more economic development models driven by domestic demand, consumption, and endogenous growth. We will focus on promoting coordinated development of the economy and society, improving people’s quality of life through high-quality development, resolving pressing concerns and difficulties of the people, and expanding development space by meeting people’s livelihood needs. We will focus on accelerating the comprehensive green transformation of economic and social development, building a new energy system at a faster pace, building China into a strong energy country, and building a Beautiful China. We will focus on strengthening the domestic circulation, smoothing the dual domestic and international circulation, better balancing development and security, and safeguarding the new development paradigm with a new security architecture.
In short, faced with the expectations of the people and the changing international situation, the key is to concentrate on managing our own affairs well, unswervingly promote high-quality development, unswervingly advance deep-level reforms and expand high-standard opening up, better respond to the uncertainty of external environmental changes with the certainty of our own high-quality development, win strategic initiative in fierce international competition, and continue writing new chapters of the two miracles – rapid economic development and long-term social stability – on the new journey of the new era.
Thank you!
Hong Kong Ta Kung Wen Wei Media Group:
This year marks the conclusion of the “14th Five-Year Plan.” Society is highly attentive to the implementation status and achievements of the “14th Five-Year Plan” goals and tasks. Could you provide an overview of the relevant situation? Thank you.
Jiang Jinquan:
I am pleased to answer this question. The “14th Five-Year Plan” period was the first five years of embarking on the new journey to build a modern socialist country in all respects, an extremely unusual and extraordinary development process. The CPC Central Committee with Comrade Xi Jinping at its core united and led the entire Party and people of all ethnic groups across the country in rising to challenges and forging ahead, withstanding the severe impact of the once-in-a-century pandemic, effectively responding to a series of major risks and challenges, and driving new major achievements in the cause of the Party and the state. The “Proposals” provide a systematic summary from 12 aspects; I will briefly introduce them here.
First, the economy operated steadily with progress, and high-quality development advanced solidly. China’s economic growth rate continued to lead among major global economies. It is estimated that the GDP this year will reach about 140 trillion yuan, successively crossing the thresholds of 110 trillion, 120 trillion, and 130 trillion yuan, with per capita GDP exceeding the world average. China remains the main source of global economic growth and an important engine. Truly, “The landscape here is uniquely splendid!”
Second, scientific and technological innovations yielded fruitful results, and new quality productive forces developed steadily. Both total national R&D expenditure and the proportion of basic research funding reached historic highs. There are over 500,000 high-tech industrial enterprises, and China has 26 of the world’s top 100 science and technology innovation clusters, ranking first globally in proportion.
Third, comprehensive deepening of reform progressed further, and high-standard opening up expanded continuously. Institutional obstacles affecting high-quality development were gradually removed. A new system for a higher-level open economy took shape faster. High-quality Belt and Road cooperation deepened and achieved solid results. Free trade zone construction accelerated implementation, providing new opportunities and expanding new space for economic and social development. China is a firm supporter and promoter of economic globalization.
Fourth, people’s livelihood guarantees were solid and stable, and the achievements in poverty alleviation were consolidated and expanded. More than 12 million new urban jobs were created annually, and residents’ income growth kept pace with economic growth. The world’s largest education, medical care, and social security systems were continuously consolidated. The consolidation rate of nine-year compulsory education, coverage of basic pension insurance, and participation rate in basic medical insurance all reached over 95%.
Fifth, green and low-carbon transformation accelerated, and ecological environment quality improved continuously. The world’s largest carbon emission trading market and clean power supply system were established. Water consumption per 10,000 yuan of GDP dropped below 50 cubic meters. National forest coverage increased to over 25%, contributing a quarter of the world’s new green area. The proportion of days with good air quality stabilized at around 87%, making the green hues of development more vivid. China is becoming a global leader in green development.
Sixth, national security capabilities were effectively enhanced, and social governance efficacy strengthened. Grain output stabilized above 650 million tons. Energy supply stability and risk management capabilities were further strengthened. The resilience and security level of industrial and supply chains steadily improved. Important phased achievements were made in the battle to prevent and defuse financial risks. China has become one of the countries with the lowest crime rate and the highest sense of security in the world. Peaceful China lives up to its name!
Additionally, whole-process people’s democracy developed deeply; comprehensive law-based governance was effectively implemented; cultural endeavors and industries flourished with rich and diverse spiritual and cultural products; national defense and military modernization achieved major progress; the practice of “one country, two systems” advanced steadily; major-country diplomacy with Chinese characteristics was comprehensively expanded; full and rigorous Party self-governance yielded significant results; the fight against corruption deepened; and the Party’s creativity, cohesion, and combat effectiveness markedly increased. These major achievements have laid a solid foundation for economic and social development during the “15th Five-Year Plan” period.
These major achievements owe fundamentally to the leadership and navigation of the CPC Central Committee with Comrade Xi Jinping at its core and to the scientific guidance of Xi Jinping Thought on Socialism with Chinese Characteristics for a New Era. During the “15th Five-Year Plan” period, as long as we deeply comprehend the decisive significance of the “Two Establishes,” unite more closely around the CPC Central Committee with Comrade Xi Jinping at its core, adhere to the correct direction, follow scientific concepts, carry forward the spirit of struggle, and grasp historical initiative, we will certainly continue to break new ground in Chinese modernization.
Thank you.
TASS News Agency:
China’s investment in science and technology continues to grow, with rapid development in the field of artificial intelligence. May I ask, what are China’s goals in developing artificial intelligence? How will it ensure that science and technology R&D investment is used efficiently? Thank you.
Yin Hejun:
Thank you for your question. You asked two questions: one about science and technology investment, and one about artificial intelligence.
Regarding science and technology investment: Valuing and strengthening science and technology investment is a common consensus worldwide, especially among developed countries. The Chinese government also attaches great importance to this. Since the 18th CPC National Congress, China’s science and technology investment has achieved rapid growth in both total amount and intensity. We adhere to the “four orientations,” leverage the advantages of the new system for mobilizing resources nationwide, and strive to enhance the efficiency of science and technology investment. First, focus on national strategic needs and strengthen the coordination of science and technology resources. Implement a number of major science and technology projects in key industries and fields; strengthen breakthroughs in core technologies in key areas; continuously increase the proportion of investment in basic research; encourage original innovation to provide scientific and technological support for high-quality development. Second, adhere to diversified investment and increase the supply of science and technology resources. Continuously strengthen fiscal investment in science and technology; incentivize enterprises to increase R&D investment; vigorously develop science and technology finance; encourage and guide social capital to support scientific and technological innovation. Third, strengthen supervision, management, and performance evaluation to ensure efficient use of science and technology resources. Continuously strengthen the supervision of science and technology funds; establish and improve a classified evaluation system for science and technology activities; promote the open sharing of science and technology resources to maximize the benefits of precious science and technology resources.
Regarding artificial intelligence: The Chinese government highly values artificial intelligence, continuously fosters a favorable innovation ecosystem, and promotes the accelerated development of AI. First, continuous new breakthroughs in AI technological innovation. Continuously strengthen AI strategic research and technological research; form a number of internationally influential innovations in foundational large models, humanoid robots, and other fields. Second, rapid improvement in the scale and quality of the AI industry. By the end of 2024, the total number of AI enterprises exceeded 4,500; the industrial scale continues to expand; and a synergistic innovation industrial ecosystem is accelerating its formation. Third, significant results in AI empowering economic and social development. “AI+” has deeply penetrated key industries such as manufacturing, finance, and healthcare, forming a new engine for economic growth.
Next, we will earnestly implement the requirements of the “Proposals,” continue to strengthen top-level design and systematic deployment for AI during the “15th Five-Year Plan” period. First, continue to strengthen basic research and breakthroughs in core technologies, focus on developing new model algorithms and high-end computing chips, and continuously consolidate the technological foundation for AI development. Second, deeply implement the “AI+” initiative, promote the deep integration of AI with scientific and technological innovation, industrial development, consumption upgrading, and livelihood security. Third, strengthen AI governance, improve relevant laws and regulations, policy systems, application standards, and ethical guidelines, and continuously improve governance mechanisms. Fourth, promote international exchanges and cooperation, make AI an international public good that benefits humanity, and promote inclusive sharing. Jointly build a global AI governance system to jointly address global challenges.
Thank you!
Economic Daily:
In recent years, China has become the main engine of global economic growth, and all parties are concerned about China’s economic development prospects. The “Proposals” propose enhancing the effectiveness of macroeconomic governance and implementing more proactive macro policies. May I ask how during the “15th Five-Year Plan” period, policies in industry, region, consumption, investment, and other aspects will be coordinated to ensure macro policies work in the same direction and form synergy to promote high-quality development? Thank you.
Zheng Shanjie:
Thank you for your question. During the “15th Five-Year Plan” period, we will earnestly implement the requirements for macroeconomic governance proposed in the “Proposals,” perform the functions of macro-management and comprehensive economic coordination, and continue to exert efforts from three aspects to strengthen comprehensive coordination and balance, ensuring macro policies work in the same direction and form synergy.
First, expand policy space. During the “14th Five-Year Plan” period, China’s GDP surpassed 100 trillion yuan in 2020 and successively crossed several thresholds, reaching about 140 trillion yuan this year. This includes both a continuous stream of incremental high-quality output and accumulated substantial high-quality assets. As General Secretary Xi Jinping vividly stated: “China’s economy is a vast ocean.” China’s macroeconomic governance has broad space. During the “15th Five-Year Plan” period, we will fully utilize the development advantages of China’s economy, actively expand macro policy space, enhance efficient coordination among flow factors such as talent flow, logistics, capital flow, and information flow, revitalize existing assets, optimize increments, improve efficiency, and effectively respond to risks and challenges from all sides.
Second, innovate governance tools. During the “14th Five-Year Plan” period, under the scientific guidance of Xi Jinping’s Economic Thought, various departments strengthened coordination and collaboration, enhanced policy coordination among fiscal, monetary, industrial, investment, employment, consumption, price, and regional policies, accumulating rich experience. During the “15th Five-Year Plan” period, in accordance with the “Proposals” deployment, we will strengthen work coordination, standardize government behavior, prevent improper intervention, and fully leverage the role of market mechanisms; flexibly use market-based and rule-of-law means, intervene promptly in areas of market failure, resolutely curb vicious low-price competition and severe arrears in enterprise payments, ensuring both “vibrant release” and “effective regulation.” Innovate policy tools, coordinate the “combination punches” of major strategies, plans, reforms, policies, and projects. Innovate methods, improve communication with micro-entities and the public, clarify doubts and explain policies, ensuring that market demands receive policy responses, and smoothen the “last mile” of policy implementation where effects are tangible and accessible.
Third, enhance consistency in macro policy orientation. Everyone is concerned about the consistency of macro policy orientation. During the “15th Five-Year Plan” period, we will further rigorously conduct consistency assessments of incremental policies, strengthen the coordination of economic and non-economic policies, and enhance policy consistency in non-economic fields. At the same time, incorporate existing policies into the assessment, regularly select existing policies in certain fields for evaluation, and promptly adjust, suspend, revoke, or abolish policy measures inconsistent with macro policy orientation according to procedures, thereby comprehensively enhancing the efficacy of macroeconomic governance.
Thank you.
Beijing Radio & Television Station (BRTN):
As we know, many families today have both elderly and young children to care for, often requiring medical treatment. They also frequently host relatives and friends from their hometowns seeking medical care. Everyone hopes to receive timely and high-quality treatment near their homes, within the city or province, and to reduce the need to travel between different hospitals. May I ask what new measures during the “15th Five-Year Plan” period are worth looking forward to in these aspects? Thank you.
Lei Haichao:
Thank you, friend from the press, for asking a question everyone cares about. This issue is also the direction we are committed to improving over the next five years. Here, I also wish to report a new research finding from our recent work on health planning for the next five years. Based on international development trends, our foundation, and China’s comprehensive national strength, we hope that through five years of effort, we can increase the average life expectancy of Chinese residents from 79 years in 2024 to around 80 years. This will be a landmark achievement in meeting and adapting to the people’s new expectations for a better and healthier life, reflecting the comprehensive results of China’s high-quality economic and social development. We believe this is entirely achievable. To this end, we will make further efforts and optimizations in the following areas:
First, comprehensively shift the service orientation toward health-centered care, enabling people to get sick less and be healthier. We advocate, and our action plan requires, that governments at all levels, society, and individuals implement the concept of “prevention first,” truly prioritize the Healthy China strategy as a primary goal of economic and social development, strengthen department coordination and efficient service supervision oriented toward health promotion, vigorously carry out Healthy China actions and the Patriotic Health Campaign, actively develop family doctor services, strengthen the dissemination of health knowledge, gradually enhance residents’ health literacy, so that scientific knowledge and popular science of health can “reach every household,” enabling everyone to become an active participant and controller of their own health. Proactively manage health risk factors, ensuring effective intervention and control of issues affecting our physical and mental health, such as weight, blood pressure, blood lipids, and blood sugar, so that everyone can enjoy a healthier and higher-quality life.
Second, highlight full-chain integration in the service model, enabling people to suffer less from serious illnesses and recover earlier. Focusing on chronic diseases such as cardiovascular and cerebrovascular diseases, cancer, chronic respiratory diseases, and diabetes as key areas for breakthroughs, establish a sound service system for early screening, diagnosis, treatment, and rehabilitation, strengthen the simultaneous prevention and treatment of multiple diseases, and further enhance the efficiency and effectiveness of health outcomes. In the future, we will place greater emphasis on precise intervention at the prevention stage, multidisciplinary and multi-professional collaboration at the treatment stage, continuous services at the rehabilitation stage, and long-term health follow-up at the management stage, ensuring all links are truly connected, activated, and strengthened. At the same time, to meet the public’s desire for effective and scientific medical treatment, we will further reshape and rebuild service processes, establish consultation and referral platforms within hospitals and between hospitals, entrusting the professional aspects of medical treatment to professional institutions and personnel, helping patients seek medical care scientifically, normatively, orderly, and conveniently.
Third, the service system will emphasize public welfare and balance more prominently, making medical treatment more convenient and efficient for the public. Promote the coordinated development and governance of healthcare, medical insurance, and pharmaceuticals. Deepen public hospital reform oriented toward public welfare. Comprehensively promote the Sanming medical reform model at the prefecture level. The reason Fujian’s Sanming has continuously achieved remarkable results in health protection, promotion, and medical reform lies in the following four experiences: First, adhering to the reform philosophy of upholding Party leadership, public welfare, and a people-oriented stance. Second, maintaining a reform style of tackling difficulties head-on and forging ahead with determination. Third, persisting in advancing reforms tailored to local conditions with a rhythm of continuous iteration and upgrading. Fourth, adhering to a reform approach that closely integrates with local economic and social development conditions and levels, providing appropriate services and security for the people, and ensuring sustainability. These four experiences should be carefully studied and promoted during the deepening of medical and health system reform over the next five years. At the same time, we will further clarify the functional positioning and synergistic cooperation among primary, secondary, and tertiary medical institutions and primary healthcare institutions, stabilize the operation of secondary hospitals, implement the medical and health strengthening foundation project, prioritize and guide personnel and services to sink to the grassroots level, vigorously develop supportive and collaborative relationships among medical institutions at all levels, and promote and implement mobile healthcare, mobile medical services, and remote diagnosis and treatment, so that the general public can obtain convenient, efficient, and relatively high-quality medical and health services near their homes, promoting more significant progress in tiered diagnosis and treatment.
Thank you.
Market News International (MNI):
During the “14th Five-Year Plan” period, foreign direct investment growth slowed down. May I ask, in which areas will the “15th Five-Year Plan” further expand opening up and attract foreign investment?
Wang Wentao:
Thank you for your question! In March this year, President Xi Jinping, while meeting with representatives of the international business community, fully affirmed the important role of foreign capital and demonstrated China’s firm determination to expand opening up. Looking at the “14th Five-Year Plan” period, China’s utilization of foreign capital has been characterized by: First, “stable volume”: Actual utilized foreign capital totaled over $720 billion, with more than 240,000 newly established foreign enterprises, maintaining a solid position as a major destination for foreign investment. Second, “improved quality”: Foreign investment in high-tech industries accounted for over one-third, with numerous landmark projects in automobiles, healthcare, electronics, and other fields settling in China. The number of multinational regional headquarters and R&D centers increased significantly.
What I want to say is that next, whether it’s opening up or attracting investment, we will not pursue policies that benefit oneself at the expense of others or engage in zero-sum games, but rather mutual benefit, win-win, and common development. We will focus on two main areas:
On one hand, fully leverage the advantages of China’s vast market. China currently has over 1.4 billion people, and the middle-income group will exceed 800 million in the next decade, indicating enormous market potential. We will vigorously boost consumption, build the “Shop in China” brand, and make both goods and service consumption “booming.” We will accelerate the development of new quality productive forces, promote the development of industries such as artificial intelligence, biotechnology, and new energy, making China’s vast market a global testing ground, application field, and profit center for innovation. We will accelerate the building of a high-standard market system, adhere to the direction of marketization, rule of law, and internationalization, and create a world-class business environment. Many multinational companies tell us that “investing in China is not an option, but a necessity.”
On the other hand, make China’s vast market a global opportunity. We often say “foreign companies are not outsiders, but family members.” China’s mega-sized market is also an opportunity for foreign enterprises. For example, in our trade-in program, taking cars as an example, we fully implement national treatment. Foreign brands accounted for one-third of car trade-in sales. We will further lower market access thresholds according to the requirement of “sooner rather than later, faster rather than slower.” The service sector is the focus of opening up next. We will expand open pilot projects in value-added telecommunications, biotechnology, wholly foreign-owned hospitals, etc., and expand autonomous opening up in education and culture in an orderly manner. We will continuously optimize services, run the Foreign Enterprise Roundtable meetings well, turn the “demand list” of enterprises into our “service list,” polish the “Invest in China” brand, so that foreign-funded enterprises are willing to come, able to stay, and develop well, sharing new opportunities in China’s development.
Recently, everyone has been paying attention to China-US economic and trade issues. General Secretary Xi Jinping emphasized that dialogue and cooperation are the only correct choice for China and the United States. As a responsible major country, China has always opposed decoupling and severing supply chains, and firmly upholds the security and stability of global industrial and supply chains. The first four rounds of economic and trade consultations have fully proven that, based on mutual respect and equal consultation, China and the US can fully find ways to address each other’s concerns, find the right way to get along, and promote the healthy, stable, and sustainable development of China-US economic and trade relations.
Thank you, everyone!
Zhejiang Daily Chao News:
We know that leading the development of new quality productive forces with scientific and technological innovation is a major initiative proposed by the Party Central Committee and a key focus of the “15th Five-Year Plan” deployment. May I ask what considerations and plans exist for cultivating and developing new quality productive forces in the next steps? Thank you.
Yin Hejun:
Thank you for your question. Scientific and technological innovation can give birth to new industries, new models, and new momentum and is the core element for developing new quality productive forces. The Fourth Plenary Session of the 20th CPC Central Committee made clear arrangements for scientific and technological innovation leading the development of new quality productive forces. During the “15th Five-Year Plan” period, we will deeply implement the innovation-driven development strategy, accelerate the deployment and advancement of major scientific and technological innovation tasks, promote the deep integration of scientific and technological innovation and industrial innovation, strive to enhance total factor productivity, and inject powerful momentum into developing new quality productive forces and achieving high-quality development.
First, continuously increase the supply of high-quality science and technology. Coordinate national strategy and economic and social development needs, accelerate the layout and implementation of national major science and technology projects, organize the advancement of strategically oriented basic research in a structured manner, strengthen innovation in key generic technologies, cutting-edge leading technologies, modern engineering technologies, and disruptive technologies, enhance the independent guarantee of science and technology infrastructure, promote the coordinated linkage of national strategic scientific and technological forces, and accelerate the production of a number of major landmark, original achievements.
Second, support the building of a modern industrial system. Coordinate scientific and technological innovation and industrial development, and promote the seamless connection of the innovation chain and industrial chain. Cultivate and expand a number of emerging industries such as new-generation information technology and artificial intelligence, lay out and build future industries in quantum technology, biotechnology, and other fields, seize the commanding heights of future science and technology and industry, actively use digital and intelligent technologies to transform and upgrade traditional industries, and promote industrial transformation toward intelligence, greening, and integration.
Third, comprehensively deepen science and technology system reform. Strengthen policy coordination and promote efficient synergy among science and technology and fiscal and tax policies, finance, industry, education, and talent. Improve the organizational mechanism for major scientific and technological tasks, and promote the systematization, structured organization, and coordination of science and technology forces, innovation resources, and talent teams. Strengthen the principal position of enterprises in scientific and technological innovation, accelerate the cultivation and expansion of leading science and technology enterprises. Deepen reforms on empowering scientific and technological achievements and separate management of assets. Establish a discipline setting adjustment mechanism and talent cultivation model driven by scientific and technological innovation, industrial development, and national strategic needs. Build a science and technology finance system compatible with scientific and technological innovation.
Fourth, develop new quality productive forces according to local conditions. Strengthen macro guidance and overall coordination for local science and technology innovation and industrial layout, guide localities to forge strengths in science and technology and industrial characteristics based on resource endowments, and achieve differentiated development. Strengthen cross-regional innovation coordination and industrial collaboration, and build a number of world-class industrial clusters. Promote localities with conditions to actively explore and pilot reforms around the deep integration of scientific and technological innovation and industrial innovation, creating sources of original innovation and highlands of industrial science and technology innovation.
Thank you.
Brasil de Fato:
As the five-year transition period for consolidating and expanding the achievements in poverty alleviation concludes in 2025, what specific goals will the “15th Five-Year Plan” set and what long-term mechanisms will it establish to prevent large-scale relapse into poverty and impoverishment? How will the government establish a long-term assistance system for less developed areas?
Han Wenxiu:
Thank you for your question. Since the 18th CPC National Congress, under the strong leadership of the CPC Central Committee with Comrade Xi Jinping at its core, China has won the unprecedented battle against poverty, eradicated absolute poverty, created a miracle that will shine through the ages, made significant contributions to global poverty reduction, and added confidence and provided a model for Global South countries to escape poverty. From 2021 to 2025, we established a five-year transition period to promote the effective linkage between consolidating and expanding the achievements in poverty alleviation and rural revitalization, making the foundation for poverty alleviation more solid and its outcomes more sustainable. The “15th Five-Year Plan” period marks a new phase shifting to regularized assistance after the transition period. The Fourth Plenary Session of the 20th CPC Central Committee proposed establishing a regularized mechanism to prevent relapse into poverty and impoverishment through coordinated efforts. This means integrating regularized assistance into the rural revitalization strategy from the perspective of the overall situation of Chinese modernization, ensuring no large-scale relapse into poverty or impoverishment occurs. Specifically: First, establish and improve a regularized assistance policy system. Practice has proven that the assistance policies during the past five-year transition period have been effective. After the transition period, we must adhere to the principle of “overall stability with minor adjustments,” maintaining overall stability in fiscal input, financial support, resource allocation, and other policies. We will continue the practice of having secretaries at five levels jointly assume responsibilities, sustain effective approaches such as east-west collaboration and fixed-point assistance by central units, and optimize and adjust them appropriately based on actual conditions to enhance the effectiveness of assistance. Second, support less developed areas in accelerating their development. Less developed areas are the main front for preventing relapse into poverty and impoverishment. During the transition period, the state designated 160 key counties for rural revitalization assistance, and various regions also identified provincial-level key counties for concentrated support. Next, we will continue providing long-term assistance to less developed areas, with central and provincial governments sharing responsibilities and implementing tiered and categorized assistance. We will help develop industries that enrich the people and boost county economies, improve rural infrastructure and public services, narrow the urban-rural and regional development gaps, and consolidate the foundation for preventing relapse into poverty and impoverishment. Third, improve the timeliness and precision of monitoring and assistance. As the saying goes, “the weather is unpredictable.” For households facing sudden difficulties such as serious illness or natural disasters, we must detect, intervene, and assist early, implementing precise policies to alleviate their hardships promptly. We will establish a sound regularized monitoring system for preventing relapse into poverty and impoverishment, scientifically and accurately identify targets for assistance, and conduct regular dynamic adjustments. For those with the ability to work, we will strengthen industrial and employment support to help them prosper through hard work. For those without the ability to work, we will ensure their basic livelihood through social assistance measures. Overall, we aim to help the vast number of farmers live increasingly prosperous lives and stride together toward the bright future of Chinese modernization. Thank you!
China Daily:
Director Zheng Shanjie earlier introduced some goals and tasks for building a modern industrial system during the “15th Five-Year Plan” period. I would like to ask what specific measures will be taken to promote the green transformation of key industries and the low-carbon transition of the energy structure? Thank you.
Zheng Shanjie:
Thank you for raising this issue. Last month, General Secretary Xi announced to the world China’s new round of nationally determined contributions. The “Proposals” have made arrangements for accelerating the comprehensive green transformation of economic and social development. The industrial and energy transitions you mentioned are among the top priorities. To accelerate the full realization of green transformation, we understand that we must be guided by the carbon peak and carbon neutrality goals and advance measures in four areas: First, accelerate the establishment and implementation of a dual-control system for both total carbon emissions and carbon intensity. Previously, we had a dual-control system for energy consumption; now we are transitioning comprehensively to a dual-control system for carbon emissions. This is the “commanding baton” for comprehensive green transformation. The “Proposals” propose steadily implementing systems such as local carbon assessment, industry carbon management, enterprise carbon governance, project carbon evaluation, and product carbon footprint, establishing a sound incentive and constraint system covering all types of entities. Second, accelerate the green and low-carbon transition of energy. This is the “linchpin” of comprehensive green transformation. We will accelerate the construction of a new energy system. By the end of the “15th Five-Year Plan” period, the vast majority of new electricity demand will be met by new clean energy generation, ensuring more green electricity traversing mountains and seas to light up millions of homes. Key tasks include three areas: firstly, developing non-fossil energy with greater efforts, accelerating the construction of clean energy bases such as wind and solar power in the northwest, hydropower in the southwest, offshore wind power, and coastal nuclear power, and developing biomass, geothermal, and ocean energy according to local conditions; secondly, promoting the clean and efficient use of fossil energy, transforming coal power from a foundational and guaranteed power source to a supportive and regulating source; thirdly, accelerating the construction of a new power system to ensure green electricity can be generated, integrated into the grid, and effectively utilized at the consumption end. Third, accelerate the green and low-carbon transformation of the industrial structure. This means enhancing the economic value by increasing the “green content” of industries. We must balance “addition and subtraction”: on the one hand, accelerate the development of green and low-carbon industries. Current estimates indicate China’s green and low-carbon industry scale is about 11 trillion yuan, with potential to double or grow even more in the next five years. During the “15th Five-Year Plan” period, we aim to build about 100 national-level zero-carbon industrial parks, creating enormous development space for green and low-carbon industries. On the other hand, promote energy conservation and carbon reduction in key industries. We will implement special actions for energy conservation and carbon reduction in steel, non-ferrous metals, petrochemicals, and other key sectors, striving to achieve energy savings of over 150 million tons of standard coal, reducing carbon dioxide emissions by about 400 million tons. Fourth, accelerate the green and low-carbon transformation of production and lifestyles. This is closely related to every one of us and is fundamental to comprehensive green transformation. In production, we will deepen clean production practices, implement large-scale equipment upgrades, and vigorously develop a circular economy. By 2030, the annual utilization of bulk solid waste should reach about 4.5 billion tons. We will also accelerate energy-saving renovations for buildings and municipal facilities, and increase the proportion of railway and waterway transport for bulk goods. In lifestyles, we will widely promote green and low-carbon public actions, vigorously advocate saving grain, water, and electricity, and promote waste sorting. We will actively promote green and low-carbon lifestyles and products, building beautiful homes and a Beautiful China through green living. Thank you!
Mo Gaoyi:
Thank you to all the speakers and friends from the press. This concludes today’s press conference. Thank you, everyone!
Didn't expect to see the priorities laid out so clearly; you're always so good at breaking down these communique's. Your point about the focus on intelligentization and tech self-reliance feels like a continuation of what you've discussed before, and honestly, it's pretty wild to see AI becoming such a central piece of national strategy.
Thanks for the comprehensive post, including your highlight.
It's truly great to see the importance given to re-balancing China's political economy towards more domestic consumption.
Something I'm very curious about, as I think it's a key factor in determining various crucial developments in the near future, is whether the CPC's leadership will finally allow for some appreciation of the CNY - in line with the goal of improving domestic consumption.
Am curious to understand how it sees Trump 2.0's increasingly inexorably aggressive foreign policy stance, particularly if strong moves are made to force regime change in Iran and Venezuela in the coming year...