THERE’S a Chinese saying: “Neighbors yet worlds apart”. It describes how neighbors may be physically close, yet a lack of understanding creates a vast psychological distance. China and the Philippines are neighbors separated by the sea, with economic and trade ties dating back over a thousand years.
Yet, after more than a millennium, do we truly understand each other? Perhaps not sufficiently. Many foreigners who have visited China return with profound impressions. I therefore wish to take this opportunity to introduce China to the Filipino people, particularly its Five-Year Plans.
Five-Year Plans are not unique to China, but only China has consistently implemented them over the long term and achieved significant accomplishments. It can be said that the history of China’s Five-Year Plans mirrors the growth and development of the People’s Republic of China. China’s Five-Year Plans also provide valuable lessons for countries worldwide seeking sustained, stable economic and social development.
Shortly after the founding of the People’s Republic of China, the nation launched its first Five-Year Plan. The period from 2020 to 2025 marks the 14th Five-Year Plan. What has China accomplished during this period? We have reached new heights in terms of economic strength, scientific and technological capabilities, and composite national strength.
In 2024, China’s GDP exceeded 134 trillion yuan, with an average annual growth rate of 5.5%. Its contribution to global economic growth remained around 30%, making it the most stable and reliable engine of global economic development. New breakthroughs were achieved in scientific and technological self-reliance and self-strengthening with abundant innovations in cutting-edge fields such as artificial intelligence, quantum communication, and high-end chips. People’s livelihoods improved across the board, and with the world’s largest education system, social security system, and healthcare system established.
As the 14th Five-Year Plan draws to a close in 2025, China will soon embark on its next Five-Year Plan (2026-2030). What, then, will we pursue during the 15th Five-Year Plan period?
While numerous objectives exist, I will highlight three key priorities: high-quality development, high-level opening up, and a community with a shared future for humanity. These not only concern China’s development, but are also intrinsically linked to our collective future.
High-quality development means fostering a healthier Chinese economy. We will accelerate the comprehensive green transformation of economic and social development, expedite high-level self-reliance in science and technology, and provide the world with more high-quality products. High-level opening-up means safeguarding the multilateral trading system and promoting broader international economic flows.
We should advance reform and development through greater openness and seek to share opportunities and achieve common development with the rest of the world.
Building a community with a shared future for humanity means advocating the spirit of “sharing the same boat,” embracing an open and inclusive mindset, and pursuing a vision of win-win cooperation. It means transcending conflict and confrontation with peaceful development, replacing absolute security with common security, abandoning zero-sum games in favor of mutual benefit and win-win outcomes, preventing clashes of civilizations through exchanges and mutual learning, and protecting our Earth home through green development.
China and the Philippines are so close geographically. Working together for development and sharing a better life should be the common aspiration of our peoples.
We are willing to join hands with the Philippines to uphold mutual respect, strengthen exchanges across all fields, and ensure that economic and trade cooperation continues to benefit our peoples, enhancing their sense of fulfillment and happiness, and jointly forge a new chapter of win-win cooperation.
