Five-year plans set stage for high-quality development

Even critics of China cannot deny that it is the consistency of China implementing its five-year development plans over the past decades that has guaranteed the long-term stability, certainty and predictability of the country's development.

What disappoints the doomsayers who peddle the "China collapse" theory is the more they try to hype their "forecast" the more steadfast the country seems to advance on its development path. It should come as no surprise therefore that the country has announced all the major tasks set out in the 14th Five-Year Plan (2021-25) look set to be accomplished.

China's five-year economic increment is projected to exceed 35 trillion yuan ($4.89 trillion) during the 14th Five-Year Plan period, Zheng Shanjie, head of the National Development and Reform Commission, said at a news conference in Beijing on Wednesday.

That means, despite the uncertainties and risks in both the external and internal development environment it has faced during these years, China has been continually making steady progress along its charted course thanks to its institutional strengths, and reform and opening-up, under the leadership of the Communist Party of China.

The hard-earned achievements in promoting technological innovation, quality growth, sustainable development, efficient governance and social fairness serve to lay a solid foundation and create sufficient space for the country to implement the 15th Five-Year Plan (2026-30) that the nation is drafting now.

Although the course for the next five years is being set against headwinds, it will draw on the lessons learned since 2021 and make the most of the country's advantages to further upgrade its development quality across the board in the foreseeable future.

The CPC's firm leadership is a key reason why the five-year plan-based development model has been sustained with success since the first plan was launched in 1953.

China will continue to stick to its people-centered development philosophy in the new five-year plan it will roll out. The focus of the plan will be on quality, sustainability and inclusiveness. With new achievements on the horizon, the country will continue to share its development dividends, opportunities and experience with the world.

There is no fairness in hunger. Development is always the top priority of China and the country is willing to share its development experiences and dividends with the world, particularly the Global South countries.

In its latest effort to that end, China and 40-plus other countries pushed a development-related resolution they jointly sponsored that was adopted by consensus at the 59th session of the United Nations Human Rights Council on Tuesday.

This is the first time since China initiated the resolution "The contribution of development to the enjoyment of all human rights" in 2017 that the world human rights body has adopted a resolution by consensus without a vote.

The resolution reaffirms the vital role of development in ensuring the enjoyment of all human rights, and highlights the importance of people-centered, high-quality development in meeting the growing aspirations for a better life and in advancing the full realization of human rights.

As Chen Xu, permanent representative of China to the United Nations Office at Geneva and other international organizations in Switzerland, said, it is hoped that the resolution will foster greater consensus and encourage all countries to work with China to revitalize genuine multilateralism, pursue high-quality development, and promote and safeguard all human rights.

The resolution prioritizes the future of humanity and the well-being of all nations and reflects the shared aspirations of developing countries. That many countries extended congratulations to China following its adoption shows that the international community recognizes China's leadership in advancing the agenda of development-driven human rights at the UNHRC. Many commended its constructive engagement to craft a more balanced and impactful resolution text.