Strong start emphasized for 2026-30 plan period

Chinese President Xi Jinping said on Wednesday that China's gross domestic product is expected to have achieved around 5 percent growth in 2025, and he called for further efforts to ensure a strong start for the 15th Five-Year Plan (2026-30) period.

Xi made the remarks when addressing an annual gathering organized by the Chinese People's Political Consultative Conference National Committee, China's top political advisory body, to usher in the new year.

China has accomplished its main economic and social development goals in the past "extraordinary year", Xi noted.

Despite pressures, the Chinese economy forged ahead and pursued innovation and high-quality growth, demonstrating strong economic resilience and vitality, he said, adding that China will continue to rank high among the world's major economies, with its total GDP estimated at about 140 trillion yuan ($20 trillion) in 2025.

As the past year also marked the conclusion of the 14th Five-Year Plan (2021-25) period, Xi said that after five years of arduous efforts, China's economic strength, scientific and technological capabilities, national defense capacity and overall national strength have reached new levels.

"The nation has fostered a firmer sense of purpose, fortitude and self-belief, reinforcing its resolve and confidence to build a strong country and achieve national rejuvenation," he said.

Underscoring that the blueprint has been drafted and the time for action is now, Xi called on the entire Party and people of all ethnic groups to unite and forge ahead to make great achievements through solid work and win the future through innovation, continuously opening up new horizons for advancing Chinese modernization.

As 2026 marks the start of the 15th Five-Year Plan period, he said that efforts must be made in different aspects including implementing more proactive and impactful macroeconomic policies, as well as promoting an effective improvement in the quality of the economy and a reasonable expansion in its scale while maintaining social harmony, in order to achieve a good start for the new period.

Xi emphasized that the CPPCC should focus its consultative and deliberative work on the formulation and implementation of the 15th Five-Year Plan to gather extensive support and strength for advancing Chinese modernization.

As a key mechanism for multiparty cooperation and political consultation under the leadership of the CPC, the CPPCC has played a major role in conducting political consultation, exercising democratic oversight, and participating in the discussion and handling of State affairs.

mojingxi@chinadaily.com.cn