Yan Yilong, a professor at Tsinghua University School of Public Policy and Management

Editor's Note:

2026 marks the opening year of China's 15th Five-Year Plan period (2026-30). The outline of the Plan sets out the following development goals for the coming five years: significant achievements 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. 

The Plan's outline also calls for steadily expanding opening-up at the institutional level, building a new system for a higher-standard open economy, promoting the high-quality development of the joint construction of the Belt and Road Initiative, promoting broader international economic flows, drawing momentum from opening-up to propel reform and development, promoting an equal and orderly multipolar world and universally beneficial and inclusive economic globalization, and sharing opportunities with the rest of the world and promoting common development.

As China advances the building of a new development pattern, it will have far-reaching impact on the world. Volume V of the book series Xi Jinping: The Governance of China includes part of Chinese President Xi Jinping's written speech delivered at the APEC CEO Summit held in San Francisco, the US, in 2023 - titled "China Development: New Momentum and Opportunities for the World." In the speech, President Xi noted that "we have the confidence and ability to achieve long-term and stable growth, and through our development, we will continue to offer the world new growth momentum and opportunities."

In the 22nd installment of the special series "Decoding the Book Xi Jinping: The Governance of China," focusing on the main economic and social development goals for the 15th Five-Year Plan period, the Global Times, 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 explore how the medium- and long-term development blueprint outlined in the 15th Five-Year Plan can be translated into an “opportunity list” shared with the world.

In the 20th article of the "Scholars' Perspectives" column, Yan Yilong, a professor at Tsinghua University School of Public Policy and Management, elaborates on the global significance of China's newly adopted outline of the 15th Five-Year Plan (2026-30).




The year of 2026 marks the inaugural year of the 15th Five-Year Plan period (2026-30). During this year's national "two sessions," the outline of the 15th Five-Year Plan (2026-30) for national economic and social development was approved. 

Xi Jinping, general secretary of the Communist Party of China (CPC) Central Committee, noted in the article "Shoulder the Responsibilities of Our Time and Promote Global Growth Together" compiled in Volume II of Xi Jinping, The Governance of China, that "China's development is an opportunity for the world." 

In a world of turmoil and intertwined major changes, against the backdrop of major headwinds against globalization, China, entering the 15th Five-Year Plan period, will convey to the world its certainty and stability, and demonstrate the contributions of its development to the world, which are reflected in the following five aspects:  

First, China will share the opportunities of its ultra-large market with the world. China's economy will maintain steady and sound development, and we will steadily advance high-level opening-up. We will expand opening-up at our own initiative with a focus on the service sector, actively align with high-standard international economic and trade rules, and develop pilot free trade zones and the Hainan Free Trade Port with high quality. China's door will only open wider, with a broader scope and higher level, delivering more dividends from China's market to the world.

Second, China will contribute to maintaining the stable and smooth operation of global industrial and supply chains. As a major manufacturing country, China's manufacturing, innovation and construction will continue to serve the world during the 15th Five-Year Plan period. This will not only help consolidate and stabilize global industrial and supply chains, but also provide global consumers with higher-quality, more cost-effective products and services, steadily improving the well-being of people in all countries.  

Third, China will provide strong green momentum for the global response to climate change. The 15th Five-Year Plan period will be crucial for the comprehensive green transition of economic and social development, as well as a critical phase for achieving the carbon peaking goal. China is not only an active actor in global emissions reduction, but also an important participant, contributor and leader in global ecological civilization development. It will continue to make substantial green contributions to global climate governance.

Fourth, China will further advance high-quality Belt and Road cooperation. We will promote coordinated progress in hard connectivity of infrastructure, soft connectivity of rules and standards, and people-to-people bonds among partner countries. Adhering to goal-oriented and action-oriented principles, we will advance the implementation and delivery of major landmark projects, while striving to develop more small and beautiful livelihood projects. These efforts will take root and bear fruit in partner countries, boost their economic and social development, and contribute China's strength to global modernization.

Fifth, China will continue to promote inclusive economic globalization that benefits all. China firmly advances the building of a community with a shared future for humanity, and steadily implements the four global initiatives, providing more high-quality public goods to the international community. During the 15th Five-Year Plan period, China will further act as a responsible major country, and steer economic globalization toward greater openness, inclusiveness, benefit for all, and balance. This will ensure that the fruits of development are shared more fairly and broadly by people of all countries, especially benefiting the countries of the Global South on a wider scale.