Xi stresses sound planning for economic, social development in 2026-2030

Chinese President Xi Jinping, also general secretary of the Communist Party of China (CPC) Central Committee and chairman of the Central Military Commission, presides over a symposium on China's economic and social development in the 15th Five-Year Plan period (2026-2030) and delivers an important speech in Shanghai, east China, April 30, 2025. (Xinhua/Wang Ye)

Chinese President Xi Jinping on Wednesday called for making sound plans for the country's economic and social development in the 2026-2030 period, stressing "managing our own affairs well" and ensuring both development and security.

The remarks came as China revs up efforts to fulfill the targets set in the 14th Five-Year Plan (2021-2025) in the final year of its implementation and to formulate the next five-year plan.

"The planning must focus on the goal of basically realizing socialist modernization, with a view to building a great country and advancing national rejuvenation," Xi said at a symposium here on China's economic and social development in the 15th Five-Year Plan period (2026-2030).

China's five-year plan is a key guiding document for medium-to-long-term economic and social progress, which outlines the country's overall goals, major tasks and policy orientation across various sectors over a five-year period.

In planning economic and social development for the next five years, it is necessary to adapt to changing situations and grasp strategic priorities, said Xi, also general secretary of the Communist Party of China (CPC) Central Committee and chairman of the Central Military Commission.

Targets and tasks should be set in a reasonable manner with approaches and measures to be proposed for each specific field, he said.

"We must unswervingly manage our own affairs well, and stay committed to expanding high-standard opening up," Xi told the symposium, stressing promoting high-quality development on all fronts.

"Greater emphasis should be placed on ensuring both development and security, with a comprehensive assessment of domestic and external risks and challenges," he said, calling for efforts to improve the national security system.

Since its first launch in the 1950s, the five-year plan has been serving as a blueprint for China's overall development. The formulation process operates through a well-structured framework that combines the centralized, unified leadership of the CPC Central Committee with extensive democratic participation.

In 2020, Xi led the drafting group for proposals for formulating the 14th five-year plan and long-range objectives through 2035. He presided over seven symposiums within three months to seek suggestions from representatives from all walks of life.

"China's successive five-year plans provide the global economy with unparalleled certainty -- a critical anchor at a time when the world faces profound unpredictability," said Wang Huiyao, president of the Center for China and Globalization, a Beijing-based think tank.

A meeting of the Political Bureau of the CPC Central Committee, chaired by Xi last Friday, called for "addressing the uncertainty of drastic changes in the external environment with the certainty of the country's high-quality development."

Wednesday's symposium was attended by Premier Li Qiang and Cai Qi, director of the General Office of the CPC Central Committee, both of whom are members of the Standing Committee of the Political Bureau of the CPC Central Committee.

Speaking after listening to opinions and suggestions from leading officials of several provincial regions, Xi said higher strategic priority must be given to fostering new quality productive forces in line with local conditions in the next five years.

Highlighting the roles of technological innovation and the real economy, he urged efforts to transform and upgrade traditional industries, develop emerging industries, and make forward-thinking arrangements for industries of the future, so as to accelerate modernization of the industrial system.

Underscoring benefiting the people, Xi also called for ensuring and enhancing people's livelihoods through development and steadily advancing common prosperity.

"The next five-year plan could cement China's position as the largest middle-class consumer market as well as a stabilizer and a growth engine for the world," Wang Huiyao told Xinhua, noting that the country will further contribute to the stability of global supply chains and foster long-term international cooperation.

Consulting firm Deloitte China expects the country to accelerate its economic transformation over the next five years. Changes will unfold in such areas as sci-tech innovation, integration of digital economy and artificial intelligence, green development and high-standard opening up, according to a recent report from the company.