Highlights of Xi's explanatory speech on CPC proposals for 14th Five-Year Plan, targets through 2035
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Xi Jinping, general secretary of the CPC Central Committee, makes an important speech at the fifth plenary session of the 19th CPC Central Committee in Beijing, capital of China. The session was held in Beijing from Oct. 26 to 29, 2020. (Photo: Xinhua)

Xi Jinping, general secretary of the Communist Party of China (CPC) Central Committee, delivered an explanatory speech on the proposals to the fifth plenary session of the 19th CPC Central Committee, which was convened from Oct. 26 to 29 in Beijing.

The speech was made public Tuesday.

In the speech, he explained the drafting process of the CPC Central Committee's proposals for formulating the 14th Five-Year Plan (2021-2025) for National Economic and Social Development and the Long-Range Objectives Through the Year 2035.

In addition, he elaborated on many other aspects of the proposals, such as principles in drafting the proposals, high-quality development and common prosperity. Here are some highlights of the speech:

On economy

China's economy has the hope and potential to maintain long-term stable development.

It is "completely possible" for China to meet the current standards for high-income countries by the end of the 14th Five-Year Plan (2021-2025) period and to double the total economic volume or per capita income by 2035.

An aerial view of Shanghai (Photo: Xinhua)

There will be many unstable and uncertain factors in the external environment in the coming period as many risks and hidden dangers may impact the domestic economic development, said The COVID-19 pandemic has a far-reaching impact and the world economy may continue to suffer from a downturn.

The medium- and long-term goals should pay more attention to the economic structure optimization so as to guide all parties to focus their work on improving the quality and efficiency of development.

On principles in drafting the proposals

A balance should be struck between building on past achievements and seeking innovations to ensure the smooth connection of the two centenary goals.

The government-market relationship should be dealt with well to give better play to China's institutional advantages.

A balance between opening-up and self-reliance should be maintained for China to better adapt to both domestic and international situations.

The relationship between development and security should be properly handled to effectively prevent and deal with systemic risks that may hinder China's march toward modernization.

The relationship between strategy and tactics should also be well managed for drafting a set of farsighted and pragmatic proposals.

On building a moderately prosperous society in all respects

China can achieve the goal to complete the building of a moderately prosperous society in all respects on schedule.

It remains the Party's firm commitment to the people to comprehensively building a moderately prosperous society of a higher level for the benefit of more than 1 billion people by the time when the CPC marks its 100th founding anniversary.

In 2020, China's gross domestic product (GDP) is expected to exceed 100 trillion yuan, the people's living standards will significantly improve, all rural impoverished population will be lifted out of poverty by current standards, the development targets set in the country's 13th Five-Year Plan can be attained on schedule, and the goal to complete the building of a moderately prosperous society in all respects can be achieved on schedule. 

The CPC Central Committee will carry out systematic assessment and review of the building of a moderately prosperous society in all respects in the first half of 2021 before officially announcing the achievement of moderate prosperity throughout the society.

On common prosperity

Common prosperity is an essential requirement of socialism and the shared aspiration of all Chinese people.

Advancing poverty alleviation has been the top priority for the CPC since its 18th National Congress, and lifting all rural residents living below the current poverty line out of poverty represents a significant step toward common prosperity.

It is necessary to further emphasize promoting common prosperity for everyone as China embarks on a journey to fully build a modern socialist country.

The proposals called for "more notable and substantial progress in promoting common prosperity for everyone," and "solid efforts to push forward common prosperity."

Such expressions were included, for the first time, in the documents of the CPC Central Committee plenary sessions.

The expectations strike a balance between necessity and feasibility, and will be conducive to advancing common prosperity for everyone.

On security

Security is the prerequisite for development, while development is the guarantee for security.

In the immediate future and for some time to come, China will undergo a stage that is prone to all kinds of problems and risks, and foreseeable and unforeseeable risks will also increase significantly.

It’s important to strengthen the awareness of opportunities and risks while endeavoring to close loopholes, and take the initiative in battles to effectively forestall and tackle a variety of risks and challenges.

On high-quality development

China should focus on promoting high-quality development during its 14th Five-Year Plan period. This is based on the scientific assessment of the stage, environment, and conditions for the country's development.

Development is the Party's top priority in governing and rejuvenating the country, and there is an imperative need to deliver high-quality development in the new era and new stage.

To forestall and defuse various kinds of risks and proactively address challenges brought by external changes, China needs to focus on taking care of its own matters and improving the quality of development.

Remain committed to the new development philosophy, focus on deepening the supply-side structural reform, transform the development model, and deliver real benefits to all the people.

On new development pattern

Establishing a new development pattern is a strategic choice to raise the level of China's economic development, as well as to forge new advantages in global economic cooperation and competition.

In recent years, along with the changes in the global political and economic environment, the upsurge in deglobalization and the unilateralism and protectionism acts by certain country, the traditional global circulation has been notably weakened.

More efforts should be made to root China's development inside the country and rely more on the domestic market to achieve economic growth.

The new development pattern will by no means be a closed domestic loop. It is instead an open dual circulation involving both domestic and foreign markets.

Promoting a large-scale and smooth domestic economic circulation will help better attract global resources, meet domestic needs, elevate industrial and technological development and foster new advantages in global economic cooperation and competition. 

(Compiled by Huang Jingjing; Source: Xinhua)