The Chinese government has announced the conclusion of its 14th Five-Year Plan, declaring that the country recorded significant achievements and made fresh progress in economic and social development during the plan’s implementation.
The announcement was contained in a communique adopted at the fifth plenary session of the 20th Central Committee of the Communist Party of China (CPC), held from October 26 to 29 and presided over by President Xi Jinping.
The meeting also outlined the party’s priorities as China prepares to enter the 15th Five-Year Plan period, with an emphasis on high-quality development, reform, national security, social stability and the continued strengthening of party governance.
The Central Committee said it would uphold the general principle of pursuing progress while maintaining stability, fully implement the new development philosophy and coordinate the implementation of the Five-Sphere Integrated Plan and the Four-Pronged Comprehensive Strategy.
It also emphasised the need to balance domestic and international priorities while ensuring that development and security advance together.
According to the communique, the party’s priorities include promoting high-quality economic development, advancing socialist democracy and the rule of law, strengthening public communication and cultural development, improving people’s welfare and promoting environmental conservation.
Other priorities include safeguarding national security and social stability, strengthening internal party discipline, modernising national defence and the armed forces, advancing work relating to Hong Kong, Macao and Taiwan, and pursuing major-country diplomacy with Chinese characteristics.
The committee also reaffirmed its commitment to comprehensive and rigorous Party self-governance, stressing the importance of upholding Marxism-Leninism, Mao Zedong Thought, Deng Xiaoping Theory, the Theory of Three Represents, the Scientific Outlook on Development and Xi Jinping Thought on Socialism with Chinese Characteristics for a New Era.
It said the party must also deepen the study and application of Xi Jinping Thought on Party Building to strengthen its leadership capacity and institutional effectiveness.
“We must stimulate greater motivation, initiative, and creativity within the whole Party, continue working to purify, improve, renew, and excel ourselves, and constantly strengthen the Party’s capacity for providing political leadership, giving theoretical guidance, organizing the people, and inspiring society,” the communique stated.
It added that these efforts would ensure that the CPC remained a vibrant Marxist governing party, enjoyed the wholehearted support of the people and maintained its position as the central leadership force in advancing socialism with Chinese characteristics.
Looking ahead to the new year, the Central Committee said it was determined to meet the country’s major economic and social development targets and secure a strong start to the 15th Five-Year Plan period.
To achieve this, it pledged to deepen reform and opening up, strengthen the domestic market, maximise the impact of macroeconomic policies, accelerate the development of a new pattern of economic growth and promote sustained, innovation-driven development.
The committee also stressed the need to ensure security while pursuing development, pledging to expand access to inclusive public services, meet essential social needs and strengthen support for vulnerable groups.
It identified workplace safety, disaster prevention, mitigation and relief, food and drug safety, and the maintenance of social stability as key areas requiring sustained attention.
The communique further called on party members to rally around the CPC Central Committee, with Xi Jinping at its core, and fully implement his political and ideological vision for the country’s development.
Party members were urged to demonstrate commitment and initiative, strengthen internal discipline and continually improve the party’s capacity to supervise, govern, develop and strengthen itself.
The committee said the ultimate objective was to unite and lead the Chinese people of all ethnic groups in building China into a great modern socialist country in all respects and advancing national rejuvenation through Chinese modernisation.