Li Qiang Publishes Signed Article in People's Daily: Guiding Principles for Economic and Social Development During the 15th Five-Year Plan Period

    The “Proposal of the Central Committee of the Communist Party of China on Formulating the 15th Five-Year Plan for National Economic and Social Development” (hereinafter referred to as the “Proposal”), adopted at the Fourth Plenary Session of the 20th CPC Central Committee, clearly sets forth the guiding principles for economic and social development during the 15th Five-Year Plan period. It charts the course and provides scientific guidance for advancing economic and social development over the next five years. We must accurately grasp and fully implement the Proposal, formulate and execute the 15th Five-Year Plan effectively, and strive to open up new prospects for building modernization with Chinese characteristics.

    I. Accurately Grasp the Historical Position of China's Development During the Fifteenth Five-Year Plan Period

    The Proposal points out that the Fifteenth Five-Year Plan period holds a pivotal position in the process of basically achieving socialist modernization, serving as a crucial period for consolidating the foundation and making comprehensive efforts toward this goal. We must adopt a broad perspective and strategic vision, coordinate the overall domestic and international situations, and accurately grasp the historical position of China's development during this period.

    The development of the 15th Five-Year Plan period must be understood within the historical process of Chinese modernization. Achieving socialist modernization is a step-by-step, progressive historical process. Since the founding of the People's Republic of China, China has formulated and implemented successive five-year plans (programs) centered on strategic deployments for modernization, effectively guiding and propelling economic and social development. Particularly since the 18th CPC National Congress, the Party Central Committee with Comrade Xi Jinping at its core has united and led the entire Party and people of all ethnic groups across the country to complete the historic task of building a moderately prosperous society in all respects, achieve the first centenary goal, and successfully advance and expand Chinese modernization. The 19th and 20th CPC National Congresses laid out a two-step strategic plan for building China into a modern socialist country in all respects. Among these steps, the goal of basically achieving socialist modernization by 2035 will be realized by implementing the 14th, 15th, and 16th Five-Year Plans, building upon the foundation of a moderately prosperous society in all respects. As a transitional five-year period bridging the past and the future, the 15th Five-Year Plan must focus on consolidating foundations and advancing comprehensively. Consolidating foundations means making unremitting efforts and continuing to strive to lay a more solid groundwork for basically achieving socialist modernization. During the 14th Five-Year Plan period, China effectively responded to the severe impact of the pandemic of the century and a series of major risks and challenges, achieving new and significant accomplishments in economic and social development, and making a good start on the new journey toward the second centenary goal. During the Fifteenth Five-Year Plan period, greater attention must be paid to matters with fundamental implications for development and security. We must consolidate and expand our strengths, break through bottlenecks and constraints, and address weaknesses and shortcomings to make our development foundation more stable and resilient. Comprehensive efforts mean anchoring our goals around the overall layout of the “Five-in-One” strategy and the coordinated advancement of the “Four Comprehensives” strategic layout. We must focus on coordinated efforts across all fields of economic and social development to achieve systemic breakthroughs and overall improvements. We will achieve significant results in promoting high-quality development, make major breakthroughs in strategic tasks crucial to the overall advancement of Chinese modernization, and steadily advance toward becoming a moderately developed country.

    We must understand the development of the 15th Five-Year Plan within the profound evolution of the century-long transformation of the world. Today's world is marked by intensifying turbulence and change. Unilateralism and protectionism severely undermine international rules and order, while a new round of scientific and technological revolution and industrial transformation accelerates breakthroughs, reshaping the competitive and cooperative relationships among nations. During the 15th Five-Year Plan period, the global political and economic landscape will continue to undergo major adjustments, divisions, and realignments, with increasing uncertainties and unforeseeable factors. However, the trends of multipolarity and economic globalization remain irreversible, presenting both strategic opportunities and risks for China's development. This requires us to better grasp the dialectical relationship between risks and opportunities, certainty and uncertainty, and to respond to challenges and promote development in a more proactive and effective manner. On one hand, we must look to the world, proactively recognize, adapt to, and seek change, and gain strategic initiative in fierce international competition. Facing profound and complex changes in the international landscape, we must proactively assess the impact of new situations and trends on China's development, shape a new pattern of relations between China and the world, and foster an external environment favorable to us. We must expand high-level opening up, actively pursue independent opening, enhance the quality and level of trade and investment cooperation, develop diversified and stable overseas markets, advance high-quality Belt and Road cooperation, boost China's competitiveness in global industrial division of labor, and strengthen our voice in international economic cycles. On the other hand, we must focus on domestic efforts, concentrate our strength on managing our own affairs, and counter various uncertainties with the certainty of high-quality development. Facing potentially stormy or even turbulent seas internationally, as long as domestic development remains healthy and stable, we will have greater confidence in withstanding shocks and meeting challenges. We must implement the requirements of high-quality development across all fields and aspects of economic and social development, reflecting them throughout the entire process of development goals, policies, and actions. We should achieve greater breakthroughs in accelerating the cultivation of new growth drivers and promoting the optimization and upgrading of the economic structure. We must further strengthen the domestic economic cycle and promote the dual circulation of domestic and international markets, forming new development advantages that will lead the future. In short, we must grasp the overarching logic of the century-long transformation in the world, overcome difficulties, confront risks, and meet challenges with a proactive historical spirit, continuously expanding the development space for Chinese-style modernization.

    II. Deeply Grasp the Rich Connotations of the Guiding Principles for Economic and Social Development During the 15th Five-Year Plan Period

    The Proposal clearly sets forth the guiding ideology and principles that must be followed for economic and social development during the 15th Five-Year Plan period, collectively forming the guiding principles. These were formulated by the Party Central Committee with an overarching perspective, comprehensively considering the strategic requirements for basically achieving socialist modernization and the overall development trends of China over the next five years. We must deeply grasp their rich connotations to better guide development practices.

    The guiding ideology for economic and social development during the 15th Five-Year Plan period is: Upholding Marxism-Leninism, Mao Zedong Thought, Deng Xiaoping Theory, the important thought of Three Represents, the Scientific Outlook on Development, fully implementing Xi Jinping Thought on Socialism with Chinese Characteristics for a New Era, thoroughly implementing the spirit of the 20th CPC National Congress and all plenary sessions of the 20th CPC Central Committee, focusing on building China into a modern socialist country in all respects and realizing the second centenary goal, advancing the great rejuvenation of the Chinese nation through modernization with Chinese characteristics, coordinating the overall layout of the five-sphere integrated development, promoting the coordinated advancement of the four-pronged comprehensive strategy, balancing domestic and international situations, fully, accurately, and comprehensively implementing the new development philosophy, accelerating the formation of a new development paradigm, We will adhere to the general principle of pursuing progress while ensuring stability, keep economic development as the central task, take promoting high-quality development as the theme, regard reform and innovation as the fundamental driving force, aim to meet the people's ever-growing needs for a better life as the fundamental purpose, and rely on exercising full and rigorous Party self-governance as the fundamental guarantee. We will strive to achieve effective improvement in the quality and reasonable growth in the quantity of the economy, make solid strides in promoting the all-round development of individuals and common prosperity for all the people, and ensure decisive progress in basically realizing socialist modernization. This guiding ideology embodies the worldview and methodology of Xi Jinping Thought on Socialism with Chinese Characteristics for a New Era, providing strategic guidance for the 15th Five-Year Plan period. We must deeply grasp its core essence and innovative perspectives: From the perspective of mission and tasks, the report to the 20th CPC National Congress clearly defined the central task of the Party in the new era and on the new journey: to fully build a modern socialist country, realize the second centenary goal, and advance the great rejuvenation of the Chinese nation through modernization with Chinese characteristics. The objectives, tasks, approaches, and measures for the 15th Five-Year Plan period must be closely centered around this core mission, mobilizing all forces and eliminating all distractions to advance the Chinese path to modernization. From a strategic perspective, greater emphasis must be placed on coordinating the domestic and international situations. A defining feature of the 15th Five-Year Plan period is that major-country relations shape the international landscape, while international developments profoundly impact domestic progress. This requires us to more consciously plan and advance national development within the global context, adhere to the general principle of pursuing progress while ensuring stability, and maintain economic development as the central task. By expanding openness, we will broaden international cooperation, address external risks, capitalize on opportunities while mitigating threats, seize the initiative, and ensure the steady and sustained progress of Chinese-style modernization. In terms of development pathways, we must focus on promoting high-quality development as the central theme, rely on reform and innovation as the fundamental driving force, aim to meet the people's ever-growing needs for a better life as the fundamental purpose, and ensure full and rigorous Party self-governance as the fundamental safeguard. This articulates the theme, driving force, purpose, and safeguard of development, providing crucial guidance for the 15th Five-Year Plan period. In terms of objectives, we must promote effective qualitative improvement and reasonable quantitative growth in the economy, make solid strides toward the all-round development of individuals and common prosperity for all people, and ensure decisive progress in basically achieving socialist modernization. Achieving “decisive progress” means accelerating breakthroughs from quantitative to qualitative changes, attaining landmark achievements in high-quality development and high-quality living standards, and ensuring that socialist modernization is basically realized by 2035 as scheduled.

    The Proposal outlines six principles that must guide economic and social development during the 15th Five-Year Plan period: upholding the Party's overall leadership; putting people first; pursuing high-quality development; deepening reform across the board; combining an effective market with an active government; and coordinating development with security. These “six principles” form an organic whole, reflecting our Party's deepened understanding of development laws. Among them, the Party's comprehensive leadership is the fundamental guarantee; putting the people first embodies the fundamental stance and value pursuit of economic and social development; promoting high-quality development is the central theme of economic and social development and the primary task in building a modern socialist country in all respects; reform is the driving force of development; combining an effective market with an active government is an important method of economic governance; and coordinating development and security is a major proposition under new circumstances. These six aspects are unified in the dynamic practice of China's development and governance. To grasp them comprehensively, three key dimensions must be emphasized: First, grasp the fundamental guarantee. The key to doing well in China's affairs lies in the Party. The Proposal places the Party's comprehensive leadership as the first principle that must be followed. This requires us to more consciously integrate the Party's leadership throughout all aspects and the entire process of economic and social development, better transforming our institutional strengths into governance effectiveness and development advantages. Second, uphold the people-centered stance. The people's interests come first, reflecting our Party's fundamental purpose and original mission. We must respect the people's central role, fully mobilize their initiative, proactivity, and creativity, and ensure that development is for the people, by the people, and that its benefits are shared by the people. Third, we must strengthen the systemic approach. Economic and social development is a complex systemic endeavor. We must fully, accurately, and comprehensively implement the new development philosophy, strengthen forward-looking thinking, holistic planning, strategic deployment, and integrated advancement. We must properly handle major relationships such as reform and development, government and market, and development and security, driving new leaps in all areas of work. A key feature of the work during the 15th Five-Year Plan period is to focus on achieving certainty amid uncertainty. The “Six Adherences” provide principles of certainty for China's development and must be firmly grasped.

    III. Practical Requirements for Fully Implementing the Guiding Principles for Economic and Social Development During the 15th Five-Year Plan Period

    Guiding principles are overarching and fundamental, and must be fully implemented across all fields and aspects of economic and social development during the 15th Five-Year Plan period. In practice, we must drive overall progress through breakthroughs in key areas to ensure the effective implementation of the Party Central Committee's decisions and plans.

    We must accelerate the building of a new development paradigm to firmly grasp the initiative in development. Establishing this new development paradigm clarifies the path for China's economic modernization and serves as a strategic move to seize the initiative in development. As a major economy, China possesses the unique advantage of being domestically demand-driven and internally recyclable. During the 15th Five-Year Plan period, development should focus more on strengthening the domestic economic cycle. We must coordinate the implementation of strategies to expand domestic demand and deepen supply-side structural reforms, using the inherent stability and long-term growth potential of the domestic cycle to offset uncertainties in the international cycle. Building a unified national market is a key reform for strengthening the domestic economic cycle. Efforts should focus on unifying market-based foundational systems, market infrastructure, government conduct standards, market supervision and enforcement, and factor resource markets. We must continuously expand both domestic and international openness, further eliminate local protectionism and market segmentation, and consistently unleash the dividends of our super-large market. Of course, strengthening the domestic economic cycle does not mean abandoning the international cycle. We must unswervingly expand high-level opening up, diversify international circulation channels, enhance the synergistic effects between domestic and international markets and resources, and accelerate the formation of a more competitive and resilient dual circulation system.

    We must promote the deep integration of scientific and technological innovation with industrial innovation to accelerate the development of new productive forces. During the 15th Five-Year Plan period, in the face of new circumstances in high-quality development and major-country competition, we must place greater strategic emphasis on developing new productive forces tailored to local conditions. Scientific and technological innovation and industrial innovation are the fundamental pathways for developing new productive forces. Scientific and technological innovation can give rise to new industries, new models, and new drivers of growth. We must coordinate the integrated development of education, science and technology, and talent, improve the national innovation system, target the forefront of global science and technology, and continue to strengthen original innovation and the development of key core technologies to accelerate the achievement of high-level self-reliance and strength in science and technology. The vitality of scientific achievements lies in their application. We must comprehensively advance the transformation and upgrading of traditional industries, actively develop emerging industries, proactively plan for future industries, and accelerate the construction of a modern industrial system. This will forge a new path where scientific and technological innovation drives industrial innovation, and industrial upgrading promotes technological iteration. It is important to note that developing new quality productive forces requires certain endowment conditions. We must adhere to scientific rationality and tailor approaches to local conditions, leveraging comparative advantages to propel the development of new quality productive forces.

    We must ensure and improve people's livelihoods through development and make solid progress toward common prosperity. Common prosperity for all people is an essential feature of Chinese modernization. At present, China still faces prominent issues of unbalanced and inadequate development, with many shortcomings in public services. We should focus on organically combining improving people's livelihoods with expanding domestic demand, cultivating new economic growth points by addressing the urgent concerns and difficulties of the people and enhancing their well-being. We must strengthen the priority orientation toward employment, implement plans to increase residents' income, and continue to grow the “economic pie” while optimizing income distribution. We should accelerate efforts to boost income for low-income groups and steadily expand the middle-income cohort. Greater emphasis must be placed on investing in people and serving their livelihoods. We should strengthen inclusive, foundational, and safety-net social services, introduce a series of balanced and accessible livelihood policies and measures, and focus on resolving issues related to employment, social security, education, healthcare, elderly care, and childcare. This will create a virtuous cycle of economic development and improved livelihoods. Significant disparities remain between urban and rural areas as well as among regions. We must deepen people-centered new urbanization, accelerate the comprehensive revitalization of rural areas, optimize regional layouts, and enhance the coordinated development of urban and rural areas.

    We must better balance development and security, using a new security framework to safeguard the new development paradigm. Advancing Chinese-style modernization is a wholly new endeavor, and we will inevitably encounter various difficulties, contradictions, and risks along the way. We must uphold the principle of securing safety through development and pursuing development through safety, enhancing economic and social resilience. Development is the foundation of security. Resolving prominent contradictions and problems, and preventing and defusing risks and hidden dangers, ultimately depend on development. We must pursue security by continuously strengthening our material and technological foundations, and promote high-level security through high-quality development. Security is the prerequisite for development. We must comprehensively consider internal and external risks and challenges, and effectively prevent and defuse risks in key areas. At the same time, we must strengthen the construction of long-term risk prevention mechanisms, prepare contingency plans and policy reserves, firmly guard against systemic risks, and ensure high-quality development with high-level security.

    The Proposal has been reviewed and adopted by the plenary session. The State Council will formulate the 15th Five-Year Plan based on it. The guiding principles and objectives outlined in the Proposal must be fully integrated and reflected in the drafting of the plan. We must widely solicit opinions and suggestions from all sectors, conduct in-depth research on major issues, and meticulously plan major policies, reforms, and projects to produce a high-quality plan. We must strengthen our awareness of the overall situation and our systemic approach. When formulating specialized plans, regional plans, spatial plans, and local plans, we must fully reflect and implement the requirements of the guiding principles. All regions and departments should accurately position themselves within the broader development context, innovate their thinking and measures, take proactive responsibility, enhance coordination and cooperation, and strive to turn the blueprint of the plan into a beautiful reality.

    Our mission spurs us onward, and our actions shape the future.