BEIJING – The Communist Party of China (CPC) has charted the course for China’s development in the next 15 years to guide the country’s march towards modernization.
Details of the blueprint were unveiled in a communique issued after the conclusion of the four-day fifth plenary session of the 19th CPC Central Committee on October 29. The roles of innovation, real economy, a strong domestic market, rural vitalization and green development were underscored for China’s growth.
The session adopted the Party leadership’s proposals for formulating the 14th Five-Year Plan (2021-2025) for National Economic and Social Development and the Long-Range Objectives Through the Year 2035.
Noting that “a victory is in sight” in building a moderately prosperous society in all respects, the communique stresses that fully building a modern socialist China is part of the four-pronged comprehensive strategy for the 14th Five-Year Plan period.
Xi Jinping, general secretary of the CPC Central Committee, made an important speech at the session. He also delivered a work report of the Political Bureau of the CPC Central Committee to the session.
The work of the Political Bureau was fully recognized, says the communique, adding that China has seen its economic growth beat expectations, people’s living standards ensured, and the overall situation of society maintained stable over the past year.
Progress made in the past five years was highlighted: China’s gross domestic product (GDP) is expected to cross the 100-trillion-yuan mark in 2020; 55.75 million rural residents were lifted out of poverty; the annual grain output has remained above 650 million tonnes for five consecutive years; China has built the world’s largest social security system, etc.
The communique says China is still in an important period of strategic opportunity for development at present and for the foreseeable future, but there are new developments in both opportunities and challenges.
TARGETS THROUGH 2035
The session raised a set of long-range objectives for China to basically achieve socialist modernization by 2035.
- China’s economic and technological strength, and composite national strength will increase significantly. A new stride will be made in the growth of the economy and the per capita income of urban and rural residents. Making major breakthroughs in core technologies in key areas, China will become a global leader in innovation;
- New industrialization, IT application, urbanization, and agricultural modernization will be basically achieved. China will finish building a modernized economy;
- The modernization of China’s system and capacity for governance will be basically achieved. The people’s rights to participate and to develop as equals will be adequately protected. The rule of law for the country, the government, and society will be basically in place;
- China will become a strong country in culture, education, talent, sports and health. The well-rounded development of all people and social etiquette and civility will be significantly enhanced. China’s cultural soft power will grow much stronger;
- Eco-friendly ways of work and life will be advanced to cover all areas of society. Carbon emission will steadily decline after reaching a peak, and there will be a fundamental improvement in the environment with the goal of building a Beautiful China basically reached;
- The opening-up will reach a new stage with substantial growth of the country’s strengths for participating in international economic cooperation and competition;
- The per capita GDP will reach the level of moderately developed countries. The size of the middle-income group will be significantly expanded. Equitable access to basic public services will be ensured. Disparities in urban-rural development, in development between regions, and in living standards will be significantly reduced;
- The implementation of the Peaceful China initiative will be promoted to a higher level. The modernization of national defense and the military will be basically achieved;
- People will lead a better life, and more notable and substantial progress will be achieved in promoting well-rounded human development and achieving common prosperity for everyone.
TARGETS FOR 14TH FIVE-YEAR PLAN
The session also laid down a set of guiding principles to be followed, and major economic and social development targets for the next five years.
For the 14th Five-Year Plan period, China will speed up fostering a new development pattern where domestic and foreign markets can boost each other, with the domestic market as the mainstay, the communique says.
China will strive to make new strides in economic development during the period. It aims to realize sustained and healthy economic development on the basis of a marked improvement in quality and efficiency.
With new steps to be taken in reform and opening up, China will further improve its socialist market economy and basically complete the building of a high-standard market system.
China’s social etiquette and civility shall be further enhanced, while the core socialist values shall be embraced by the people. The country aims to make new progress in building an ecological civilization, boost the well-being of people, and enhance governance capacity.
DEVELOPMENT PRIORITIES
Several development priorities were highlighted. Placed at the top of the priorities is upholding the central role of innovation in the modernization drive and implementing the innovation-driven development strategy.
The country must also continue to take the real economy as the focus of its economic development, build itself into a manufacturer of quality and enhance its strength in cyberspace and digital technology.
It must nurture a strong domestic market and establish a new development pattern, comprehensively deepen reform in pursuit of a high-level socialist market economy, prioritize the development of agriculture and rural areas, fully advance rural vitalization, and push forward coordinated regional development and a new type of urbanization, among others.
The communique stresses that the overall leadership of the CPC must be upheld to realize the 14th Five-Year Plan and achieve the long-range objectives set for 2035.
It also says that China is committed to maintaining lasting prosperity and stability in Hong Kong and Macao as well as advancing the peaceful development of cross-Strait relations and national reunification.
China will hold high the banner of peace, development, cooperation, and mutual benefit, and strive to create a favorable external environment and promote the building of a new type of international relations and a community with a shared future for humanity, it concluded.
