Premier Li Qiang Directs Drafting of 15th Five-Year Plan
Chinese Premier Li Qiang has called for the high-quality formulation of the outline for China's 15th Five-Year Plan (2026-2030) for Economic and Social Development. The Premier made these remarks on Friday, October 24, 2025, while presiding over a State Council leading-group meeting dedicated to the drafting process. This directive follows the recent conclusion of the Fourth Plenary Session of the 20th Central Committee of the Communist Party of China (CPC).
Fourth Plenum Lays Foundational Recommendations
The Fourth Plenary Session of the 20th CPC Central Committee, held in Beijing from October 20 to 23, 2025, served as a pivotal moment, deliberating over and adopting the 'Recommendations of the CPC Central Committee for Formulating the 15th Five-Year Plan for Economic and Social Development'. These recommendations are set to serve as the guiding document for China's economic and social development throughout the 2026-2030 period. The plenum also assessed the achievements of the preceding 14th Five-Year Plan (2021-2025) and outlined the framework for the upcoming plan, which is crucial for bridging the path to the 2035 goal of 'basically achieving socialist modernization'.
Key Pillars of the Upcoming Plan
Premier Li Qiang underscored several core objectives for the 15th Five-Year Plan, emphasizing a commitment to promoting high-quality development and effectively pursuing higher-quality economic growth. The plan is expected to focus on:
- Cultivating and expanding new drivers of high-quality growth, including the development of emerging industries and new growth tracks, and steering the development of new quality productive forces.
- Expanding domestic demand and building a robust domestic market to enhance the dynamism and reliability of the economy.
- Rolling out more measures to expand voluntary and unilateral opening-up, promoting high-standard opening up, and creating new horizons for mutually beneficial cooperation.
- Achieving greater scientific and technological self-reliance and strength, with a focus on original innovation and breakthroughs in core technologies.
- Building a modernized industrial system and reinforcing the foundations of the real economy.
- Coordinating development and security, alongside preventing risks in key areas.
- Upholding the principle of 'putting the people first' and ensuring further improvements in the quality of life.
The 15th Five-Year Plan period is considered critical for China to reinforce its foundations and advance towards its long-term modernization goals.
Path Forward for Implementation
The State Council is tasked with formulating the detailed outline for the 15th Five-Year Plan based on the recommendations adopted by the CPC Central Committee. This process will also involve coordinating the development of specialized, regional, and local plans. The plan is anticipated to be officially adopted and implemented by the National People's Congress in March 2026. Officials have stressed the importance of assessing potential external shocks and making adequate preparations, while also ensuring that subject-specific plans align well with the national development strategy.
5 Comments
Muchacho
Finally, a clear roadmap for high-quality growth that benefits everyone. Optimistic about 2030!
Stan Marsh
While the emphasis on long-term planning and technological independence is strategically sound for China, it raises questions about how other nations will respond to a potentially more self-sufficient and less globally integrated economy.
Eric Cartman
Promises of 'people first' always ring hollow under authoritarian regimes. Show, don't tell.
Stan Marsh
Another top-down plan; where's the real market freedom? Just more central control.
Kyle Broflovski
The push for 'high-quality development' is a positive shift from pure growth metrics, yet the balance between economic ambition and environmental protection remains a critical challenge that needs transparent oversight.