Institutional strengths key to sustainable progress: China Daily editorial

It is the institutional strengths of socialism with Chinese characteristics under the leadership of the Communist Party of China that have enabled the country to make the achievements it has in high-quality development over the past five years, and they will continue to be the guarantee for China to effectively pursue its high-quality development over the next five years and beyond.

With its strong capacity for self-improvement and dynamic adaptability, socialism with Chinese characteristics has fully demonstrated its vitality in the face of profound changes in the internal and external environment over the past five years.

The beating heart of this systemic vitality is the effective integration of the Party's propositions, the State's will and the people's aspirations, expressed through institutionalized designs such as the five-year plans for national economic and social development that ensure the country's long-term stability and sustainable progress.

The 14th Five-Year Plan (2021-25) period has shown how a strong institutional framework can generate both rapid responses to crises and sustained high-quality development.

At its recently concluded fourth plenary session, the 20th CPC Central Committee indicated that China will continue to adhere to the new development philosophy — innovation, coordination, green development, openness and shared benefits — emphasizing that high-quality development is the essential requirement for Chinese modernization and upgrading the industrial system a central task to achieve this.

By identifying challenges and necessary reform measures and adjusting strategies in a timely manner, whether in advancing technological self-reliance, promoting the green transformation or expanding opening-up, the CPC leadership ensures national cohesion and strategic determination for these endeavors.

The 15th Five-Year Plan (2026-30) period is defined as a critical phase for moving from building solid foundations to achieving breakthroughs on the path toward basically realizing the country's modernization by 2035.

In the next five years, the country will work to expand the middle-income group, create high-quality employment and ensure that the gains of modernization benefit all people more fairly. These efforts embody the country's commitment to common prosperity and social equity.

Innovation remains the primary driving force for high-quality development and improved public well-being. The CPC Central Committee has called for breakthroughs in core technologies in key fields, the enhancement of basic research capabilities and the cultivation of new quality productive forces. By improving the national innovation system and reinforcing the leading role of enterprises in scientific and technological innovation, China is laying the groundwork for long-term competitiveness in the new global technological revolution and industrial transformation.

At the same time, green development has been elevated to the strategic level. Reflecting the leadership's long-term perspective, China is accelerating the transition to low-carbon energy, improving the country's ecosystems and promoting harmonious coexistence between humanity and nature. The goals of peaking carbon emissions before 2030 and achieving carbon neutrality before 2060 reflect not only domestic priorities but also China's commitment to contributing to global sustainable development.

Furthermore, expanding domestic demand and fostering a unified national market will help stimulate stronger internal growth drivers. By improving consumption mechanisms, optimizing investment structures, and removing market barriers, China seeks to build a more efficient, resilient and dynamic domestic economy. These efforts will also help China to better integrate domestic and international economic flows.

None of these tasks is easy. The plenary session has once again shown China will continue to make the most of what it has to ensure the nation progresses on its modernization path. And doing its own things well will reinforce the country's unique institutional strengths by providing it with more space and resources to further optimize its institutions.

In a world facing uncertainties, China's continued high-quality development offers much-needed certainty, stability and vitality, and it will continue to inject confidence and momentum into global development.