Photo: Global Times

Editor’s Note:

The annual Central Economic Work Conference (CEWC) was held in Beijing from December 10 to 11. Xi Jinping, general secretary of the Communist Party of China (CPC) Central Committee, Chinese president and chairman of the Central Military Commission, delivered an important speech at the conference. The conference reviewed the country's economic work in 2025, analyzed the current economic situation, and arranged next year's economic work, providing guidance and direction for ensuring a good start to the 15th Five-Year Plan period (2026-30).

The meeting took into consideration both domestic and international situations and made a scientific assessment of China's development situation. Building on new practical experience, it summarized and outlined "five imperatives" as new understandings and insights, and identified key tasks for next year's economic work through "eight commitments." These range from continuously expanding domestic demand as a focus and enhancing innovation-driven development, to deepening reform and expanding opening-up; from promoting coordinated development and advancing the carbon emissions peaking and carbon neutrality goals, to prioritizing people's livelihoods and safeguarding the bottom line against systemic risks - covering all aspects of economic and social development.

Since the new era, the Central Economic Work Conference has consistently attached great importance to theoretical summary as a means of guiding economic development and practices. As circumstances evolve, the conference has continued to deepen its understanding of the underlying laws governing economic work. The book series Xi Jinping: The Governance of China include important speeches delivered by President Xi at the CEWC in 2014 (Volume II), 2017 (Volume III), 2021 (Volume IV), 2022 (Volume V), and 2024 (Volume V), which have provided guidance and direction for promoting China's high-quality economic development.

In the 18th installment of the special series "Decoding the Book of Xi Jinping: The Governance of China," the Global Times (GT), along with the People's Daily Overseas Edition, continues to invite Chinese and foreign scholars, translators of Xi's works, practitioners with firsthand experience, and international readers to discuss how under the scientific guidance of Xi Jinping Thought on Economy, the CEWC plays a key role in steering China's economic development and practices, and, with a focus on this year's conference, explore the key priorities for China's economic work in the opening year of the 15th Five-Year Plan period.

Here are the stories:
1. Scholars' Perspectives: 'Five imperatives' outlined at CEWC underscore maturity and resolve of China's economic governance philosophy: economist

2. Practitioner's Insights: A beam of laser illuminates pioneering path in medicine, as Hainan’s special customs operation fulfills commitment to high-standard opening-up

3. Reader’s Reflections: Advances in digital economy, innovation and industrial upgrading underpin confidence in China’s economic resilience, growth potential: South Korean expert

4. Translators’ Voices: China’s planning-based governance model forms a new paradigm of ‘development expectation management’

Photo: Global Times