President Xi Jinping has stressed sound, democratic and law-based decision-making to ensure that China's next five-year plan for national economic and social development is formulated in a high-quality manner.

Xi, who is also general secretary of the Communist Party of China Central Committee and chairman of the Central Military Commission, made the remarks in a recent instruction on work concerning the compilation of the 15th Five-Year Plan (2026-30).

Xi noted that the scientific formulation and consistent implementation of five-year plans stand as important experiences in the Party's approach to governing the country.

The formulation and implementation of the 15th Five-Year Plan hold immense significance for fully realizing the strategic initiatives outlined at the 20th CPC National Congress and advancing Chinese modernization, he said.

Five-year plans serve as comprehensive blueprints for China's economic and social advancement, outlining the goals, strategies and priorities across various sectors for each respective period.

Featuring continuity, forward-looking strategic planning and effective implementation, the five-year plans have been instrumental in pushing forward the country's development in all sectors over the past decades since the launch of the first Five-Year Plan (1953-57).

As this year marks the conclusion of China's 14th Five-Year Plan (2021-25) period, the nation will embark in 2026 on the implementation of the 15th Five-Year Plan for economic and social development.

The CPC Central Committee is organizing the drafting of proposals for the plan, and relevant departments are gearing up to solicit opinions and suggestions from officials and the public, as well as experts and scholars, through various channels in the near future.

Experts said that the 15th Five-Year Plan will hold special significance due to its dual role as both a blueprint for the nation's economic and social development over the next five years and a crucial bridge leading to the goal of achieving basic modernization by 2035. It is expected to emphasize accelerating the development of new quality productive forces to drive forward China's modernization drive, they said.

Cheng Xusen, a research fellow at Renmin University of China's National Academy of Development and Strategy, said that the upcoming 15th Five-Year Plan is expected to center on building up new quality productive forces, with expanding domestic demand, boosting consumption's role in economic growth, creating high-quality jobs and increasing household income being key priorities.

To drive growth, China will accelerate the intelligent and low-carbon transformation of traditional industries, while nurturing integrated clusters of strategic emerging industries, Cheng said, adding that the integration of digital technology into daily life will provide more equitable access to public services such as governance, education and healthcare.

Compared with five years ago, China faces greater uncertainties and challenges in the external environment, particularly due to the tariff and trade wars launched by the United States. The global governance landscape is facing greater instability, the international order may be subject to reshaping, and geopolitical conflicts and security risks are likely to increase, observers said.

Speaking at a symposium on the 15th Five-Year Plan in Shanghai on April 30, Xi highlighted the need to consider the impact of the changing international landscape on the country's socioeconomic development, adapt to changing situations and grasp strategic priorities in formulating the important document.

Xi also said it is important to coordinate development and security and comprehensively take into account internal and external risks and challenges.

Anthony Moretti, an associate professor at the Department of Communication and Organizational Leadership of Robert Morris University in the US, said that as China is poised to embark on its 15th Five-Year Plan, it should do so with confidence.

"We can anticipate that China will maintain its commitment to long-term thinking, ensuring, among other things, that high-quality development is fundamental to all decisions," Moretti said in an article published in the Global Times. "In effect, goals are set. Overarching everything is the requirement that the overall well-being of the Chinese people is central to every action."

The process of formulating five-year plans is a vivid embodiment of the practice of China's socialist democracy, as they are a result of pooling people's wisdom based on extensive consultations before policy decisions are made, analysts said.

When formulating the 14th Five-Year Plan, Xi presided over seven symposiums from July to September 2020, including symposiums with entrepreneurs, non-Party personages, experts in the economic and social fields, scientists, grassroots representatives and experts in the fields of education, culture, health and sports.

In the recent instruction on formulating the 15th Five-Year Plan, Xi emphasized the importance of integrating top-level design with seeking advice from the public, enhancing research and discussions, and building broad consensus.

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