China sets new course for modernisation under 15th Five-Year Plan

From October 20 to 23, 2025, the Fourth Plenary Session of the 20th Central Committee of the Communist Party of China was held in Beijing. The session deliberated over and adopted the Recommendations of the Central Committee of the Communist Party of China for Formulating the 15th Five-Year Plan for Economic and Social Development, making top-level design and strategic plans for China's development in the next five years. It demonstrated China's firm resolve to build on past achievements and continue to advance Chinese modernisation. As changes unseen in a century unfold rapidly across the world, the future of humanity will be deeply shaped by the choices we make today. As the world's second largest economy, China's development plan for the next five years and its approach to addressing the volatile and intertwined international situation have been a subject of great interest to the world.

During the 14th Five-Year Plan (2021-2025) period, China effectively responded to the severe impact of the COVID-19 pandemic and a range of major risks and challenges, elevating its economic strength to a new level. In the first four years, the country's average annual GDP growth reached 5.5 percent, and the economic aggregate in 2025 is estimated to reach about 140 trillion yuan, with its contribution to global economic growth remaining stable at around 30 percent. Continuous improvement was made in public well-being, with the average annual growth of per capita disposable income of residents reaching 5.5 percent in real terms, keeping pace with economic growth. China has established the world's largest systems of healthcare, education and social security. China has put in place the world's largest and fastest-growing renewable energy system and new energy industrial chain, and become one of the countries with the fastest reduction in energy consumption intensity. China's economic and technological strength and composite national strength have reached a new level, and Chinese modernisation has taken solid new steps.

As China's 14th Five-Year Plan gets close to its accomplishment, China's development is standing at a new starting point where Chinese modernisation is about to embark on a new journey. The time has arrived and the conditions are in place.

Continuing the Journey: Anchoring the Goal of Chinese Modernisation

The scientific formulation and consistent implementation of five-year plans constitute important experience in the approach of the Communist Party of China to governing the country and a significant political strength of socialism with Chinese characteristics. The development history of the People's Republic of China is marked by the chapters of 14 consecutive Five-Year Plans, all united by the consistent theme of building China into a modern socialist country. As the 14th Five-Year Plan concludes this year, the recent Plenary Session outlined the major objectives for economic and social development during the 15th Five-Year Plan period (2026-2030): significant advancements in high-quality development, substantial improvements in scientific and technological self-reliance and strength, fresh breakthroughs in further deepening reform comprehensively, notable cultural and ethical progress across society, further improvements in quality of life, major new strides in advancing the Beautiful China Initiative, and further advances in strengthening the national security shield. Building on this, China will work hard for a further five years to see that by the year 2035, China’s economic strength, scientific and technological capabilities, national defense capabilities, composite national strength, and international influence will all be markedly stronger, that its per capita GDP will be on a par with that of a med-level developed country, that its people will live better and happier lives, and that socialist modernisation will be basically realised. China will persist in writing new chapters of the two miracles of rapid economic development and long-term social stability, making new contributions to safeguarding regional peace, stability, and prosperity.

Advancing High-Quality Development and Accelerating Self-Reliance in Science and Technology

High-quality development is the paramount task in building a modern socialist country in all respects. Carrying on the legacy of the 14th Five-Year Plan, the 15th Five-Year Plan continues to identify advancing high-quality development as the theme of economic and social development. It adheres to the central task of economic development and is guided by the new development philosophy, aiming to promote sustained and healthy economic growth and all-round social progress. The most crucial aspect of advancing high-quality development is to accelerate self-reliance in science and technology, thereby guiding the development of new quality productive forces. The vitality of scientific and technological achievements lies in application. China will comprehensively promote the transformation and upgrading of traditional industries, actively develop emerging industries, and proactively plan for future industries. It will accelerate the building of a modernised industrial system, forging a new path where technological innovation guides industrial innovation, and industrial upgrading, in turn, fosters technological iteration. China is refreshing the heights of science and technology at an unprecedented pace, gathering momentum for innovation, and forming an innovation ecosystem, injecting more vitality and momentum into its own development and the world economy. A more advanced, confident, and open "Innovative China" will also build more bridges of development and progress for the region and countries around the world.

Putting People First and Making Solid Progress in Common Prosperity

Ensuring that the people enjoy a happy life is a fundamental tenet of the nation and the ultimate goal of all endeavors undertaken by the Communist Party of China in uniting and leading the people of all ethnic groups across the country. It also serves as the overarching guideline for China's development during the 15th Five-Year Plan period. Since the 18th CPC National Congress, China has taken robust measures to safeguard and improve people's livelihoods, winning the largest battle against poverty in human history, and completing the building of a moderately prosperous society in all respects, thereby creating favorable conditions for promoting common prosperity. China will continue to steadfastly pursue the goal of common prosperity, making deployments in areas such as promoting high-quality and full employment, running education to the satisfaction of the people, accelerating the building of a Healthy China, and steadily advancing the equalisation of basic public services. This will result in a suite of balanced and highly accessible policy measures, painting the development of the 15th Five-Year Plan period with a tone that warms the people's hearts.

Adhering to Opening-Up and Promoting Mutual Benefit and Win-Win Cooperation

High-standard opening up is a powerful impetus for China's own development and for benefiting the world. China is a major trading partner for over 150 countries and regions. Over the past five years, China has ranked first globally in trade in goods and second in trade in services. Its outbound investment has grown at an average annual rate of over 5 percent, generating substantial employment locally and vigorously, as well as promoting mutual industrialisation and modernisation processes. China has continuously expanded its unilateral visa-waiver policies, steadily widened its autonomous and unilateral opening-up measures, and 22 pilot free trade zones have actively aligned with international high-standard economic and trade rules. China's door of opening-up to the world will not close; it will only open wider. China boasts the world's most promising mega-market and is becoming a testing ground for global win-win cooperation, a profit field for shared benefits, and an application field for innovative practices. China is willing to work with countries around the world to create opportunities, promote open development, and achieve mutual benefit and win-win outcomes.

At the end of October, China and ASEAN signed the protocol to upgrade the China-ASEAN Free Trade Area to Version 3.0. The protocol includes, for the first time, new chapters on supply chain connectivity and the green economy, achieving a new breakthrough in the FTA practices between the two sides. It also establishes, for the first time, a systematic framework and institutional arrangements for "at-the-border" trade facilitation measures and "behind-the-border" cooperation in emerging areas such as digital and green economy, and supply chains, representing the highest level of commitments in the respective FTA practices of China and ASEAN.

China and Thailand are good neighbours, good friends, good relatives, and good partners. The friendship between our two countries nurtured over a millennium and continues to grow with renewed vitality, embodying the enduring spirit of "China and Thailand are as close as one family." The historic visit of President Xi Jinping to Thailand in 2022 elevated bilateral relations to a new stage of building a community with a shared future, solidifying the foundation of our friendship and strengthening the momentum of our cooperation. China has been Thailand's largest trading partner for 12 consecutive years. In 2024, the bilateral trade volume reached $134 billion, a 36% increase compared to that of five years ago. China is Thailand's second-largest export market, absorbing over 40% of Thailand's exported agricultural products. According to Thai statistics, durians exported to China now account for 97% of Thailand's total durian exports. China is also the primary source of foreign investment for Thailand in recent years, and Thailand hosts the largest overseas production capacity for Chinese new energy vehicles. Leading Thai companies have consistently participated in the China International Import Expo, with intended transaction volumes consistently ranking among the top in ASEAN. The China-Thailand railway cooperation project is boosting Thailand's economic development and enhancing its connectivity. The industrial and supply chains of our two countries are deeply integrated, and cooperation in digital economy and green transformation is flourishing.

Looking ahead to the next five years, China will continue to advance Chinese modernisation, unswervingly expand high-standard opening up, pioneer new prospects for win-win cooperation, and promote the building of a community with a shared future for mankind. These plans and deployments highly align with Thailand's development strategy, creating even broader prospects for bilateral cooperation. Both sides will encounter more opportunities for collaboration in areas such as trade, new energy, digital economy, and modern agriculture. China is willing to work with Thailand to deepen and solidify the building of a China-Thailand community with a shared future, support the respective modernisation processes of both countries, and make greater contributions to regional peace, stability, development and prosperity.