Photo: Global Times

Editor's Note:

The scientific formulation and consistent implementation of five-year plans stand as an important piece of experience in the Communist Party of China's (CPC) approach to governing the country. It's also significantly representing the political advantage of socialism with Chinese characteristics.

On May 19, Chinese President Xi Jinping, also general secretary of the CPC Central Committee and chairman of the Central Military Commission, in an instruction on the work concerning the compilation of the 15th Five-Year Plan (2026-2030), stressed sound, democratic, and law-based decision-making to ensure China's next five-year plan for national economic and social development is formulated in high quality. He emphasized the importance of integrating top-level design with seeking advice from the public, enhancing research and discussions, and building broad consensus. 

In the first volume of Xi Jinping: The Governance of China, Xi, in a speech at the Second Plenary Session of the 18th CPC Central Committee, emphasized: "The same is true in treating work at local and departmental levels. We have already got in our hands a good blueprint. What we should do is to follow it through to the end and make it a success." 

While working at the local level, Xi proposed the 15-year development plan for Xiamen, the "3820" strategic project in Fuzhou, and the "Double-Eight" strategy in Zhejiang Province - all of which demonstrate his consistent, high-level emphasis on development and strategic planning. 

In the sixth installment of the special series "Decoding the Book of Xi Jinping: The Governance of China," the Global Times, along with People's Daily Overseas Edition, focuses on the theme "Follow a good blueprint through to the end! A harmonious, stable, open, and confident China brings more opportunities for global cooperation." We continue to invite Chinese and foreign scholars, translators of Xi's works, practitioners with firsthand experience, and international readers to share their views and reflections on how China employs development strategies and medium- to long-term planning to steer economic and social progress, as well as their impressions of General Secretary Xi's strategic thinking.

Here are the stories:

1. Scholars' Perspectives: Five-year plans important experience of CPC in governance: scholar who participated in formulating plans

2. Practitioners' Insights: Urban-rural bus Route 101 - a vivid practice of 'following a good blueprint through to the end'

3. Translators' Voices: The culture of planning is rooted in China's DNA

4. Readers' Reflections: China remains a fertile ground for foreign investment and development, says Roland Berger Global Managing Director