Fujian Provincial Research Center for Xi Jinping Thought on Socialism with Chinese Characteristics for a New Era: Drawing the Development Blueprint with Forward-looking Strategic Planning
Scientific strategic planning serves as a "roadmap" for anchoring coordinates in our push forward and a "baton" for seizing the initiative in development. General Secretary Xi Jinping has pointed out: "Strategy involves making judgments and decisions based on the overall situation, the long term, and general trends." "Chinese-path modernization has objectives, plans, and strategies; it will certainly be realized." Since the 18th National Congress of the CPC, General Secretary Xi Jinping has personally planned, deployed, and promoted national development planning work. He has proposed a series of new ideas, viewpoints, and judgments regarding development strategy, taking the pulse and steering the course to draw the grand blueprint for Chinese-path modernization. Fujian is an important place where Xi Jinping Thought on Socialism with Chinese Characteristics for a New Era was nurtured and practiced. During his time working in Xiamen, Comrade Xi Jinping personally presided over the compilation of the 1985–2000 Xiamen Economic and Social Development Strategy (hereinafter referred to as the "Xiamen 15-Year Strategic Plan"). This was the earliest 15-year economic and social development strategic plan compiled by a local government in China. It is the result of organically combining the Marxist view of strategy with the characteristics of the times and the reality of Xiamen. Many of its important concepts and development measures were pioneering, forward-looking, and strategic, demonstrating a core value and practical power that remains fresh over time.
This year marks the concluding year of the 14th Five-Year Plan and the year for planning the 15th Five-Year Plan. Not long ago, General Secretary Xi Jinping issued important instructions on the compilation of the 15th Five-Year Plan, requiring us to "adhere to scientific, democratic, and law-based decision-making" and "complete the planning work with high quality." We must draw precious experience and enlightenment from the process of presiding over the compilation and the main content of the Xiamen 15-Year Strategic Plan. We must deeply study and implement the spirit of General Secretary Xi Jinping’s important speeches and instructions, plan strategic blueprints with high starting points and high standards, and comprehensively promote the great cause of building a strong country and national rejuvenation.
Deeply understanding the value of the Xiamen 15-Year Strategic Plan for the times
"In all things, success depends on previous preparation, and without such preparation there is sure to be failure." [1] As early as 1986, at a mobilization and work deployment meeting for full-time personnel on three research projects—the Xiamen Economic and Social Development Strategy, the Overall Program for Economic Structural Reform, and Administrative Structural Reform—Comrade Xi Jinping pointed out: "In engaging in modern economic construction, one must have long-term considerations and plan for the overall situation. One cannot just look at the present and deal with matters as they arise; that would result in getting half the results with double the effort [2], or even losing one's direction and failing to grasp the initiative of the overall situation." Forty years ago, facing the unprecedented development opportunities and challenges brought by reform and opening up, Xiamen urgently needed a strategic plan to guide its future development. Comrade Xi Jinping, then a member of the Standing Committee of the Xiamen Municipal Party Committee and Executive Vice Mayor, personally presided over the compilation of the Xiamen 15-Year Strategic Plan. With far-sighted reform thinking and innovative concepts, he made a systematic and strategic blueprint for Xiamen’s economic and social development, which still shines brightly today.
Systematically grouping local medium- and long-term development plans to set a successful example of using strategic planning to guide economic and social development. Using medium- and long-term plans to guide development is an important experience of our Party’s governance. During his time in Xiamen, Comrade Xi Jinping led a research group composed of more than a dozen municipal departments and over 100 experts and professors. After extensive research and repeated demonstrations, they finalized the Xiamen 15-Year Strategic Plan. This plan examined the Xiamen Special Economic Zone within the overall context of China’s reform and opening up and the broader context of world economic development. It clarified a series of major issues, such as Xiamen’s strategic positioning, development model, strategic goals, strategic priorities, and strategic countermeasures, becoming the strategic blueprint guiding Xiamen’s medium- and long-term construction and development. This pioneering planning focused on balancing the relationship between the whole and the parts, taking a holistic view of the situation while making moves at key points. It fully demonstrated Comrade Xi Jinping’s systematic thinking and strategic vision of planning for the long term based on the overall situation, providing a vivid textbook for leading cadres in the New Era to actively use medium- and long-term strategic planning to guide economic and social development.
Forward-looking layout of a comprehensive and export-oriented economic structure to conduct pioneering explorations for expanding high-level opening up. Special Economic Zones bear the historical mission of exploring, experimenting, and leading the way for China’s reform, opening up, and modernization. When presiding over the Xiamen 15-Year Strategic Plan, Comrade Xi Jinping used a forward-looking vision to plan an economic structure that was comprehensive and export-oriented—primarily industrial while also considering tourism, commerce, finance, and real estate. He clarified a gradual, step-by-step approach to build Xiamen into a "free-port type Special Economic Zone." Facing new challenges such as how to build a free port, how to allow the free movement of personnel, and how to explore financial and monetary policies, Comrade Xi Jinping not only led the research group to Singapore to study international experience but also set up two special chapters to deeply study the concept and near-to-medium-term implementation plans for gradually implementing certain free-port policies in the Xiamen Special Economic Zone. He also proposed for the first time specific plans for establishing the Xiangyu Bonded Zone in Xiamen and forward-thinking ideas such as "gradually developing offshore financial business at an appropriate time." This pioneering planning emphasized the relationship between the present and the long term, fully demonstrating Comrade Xi Jinping’s far-sighted strategic vision and extraordinary courage, which holds pioneering significance for steadily expanding institutional opening up and building a higher-level open economic system in the New Era.
Promoting the coordinated development of social undertakings from a high level to solidify the foundation of public service for the people. Social undertakings are an important part of the cause of the Party and the state, concerning the Party's long-term governance, the long-term stability of the country, and the harmony, stability, and happiness of the people. When planning the Xiamen 15-Year Strategic Plan, Comrade Xi Jinping always focused on the issues most concerning to the masses, taking the improvement of people’s well-being as the fundamental value orientation. He promoted the development of culture, education, health, sports, and other social undertakings to align with economic construction, placing scientific and technological development at the forefront. On the basis of improving labor productivity and economic efficiency, he pushed for a significant increase in the actual income of citizens, ensuring that the people of the city received more tangible benefits from their participation in the construction of the Special Economic Zone. This pioneering planning focused on the relationship between development and people's livelihoods, fully demonstrating Comrade Xi Jinping’s scientific grasp of the characteristics of social development and his pragmatic political character of serving the people. It provided a pioneering demonstration for the New Era to ensure that development achievements benefit all people more extensively and equitably and to improve the level of public services.
Coordinating economic, social, and environmental benefits to explore a practical path for building a modern city where humanity and nature coexist in harmony. A city is an organic living entity. Only by coordinating economic, social, and environmental benefits can urban construction achieve sustainable development. While presiding over the Xiamen 15-Year Strategic Plan, Comrade Xi Jinping was the first to propose the concept of the "ecological niche" [3], emphasizing the need to "respect urban characteristics and the laws of development." Focusing on the layout of the three major spaces—urban ecology, production, and living—he required urban construction to be based on an overall plan that fully considered economic, social, and environmental benefits. This involved comprehensive adjustments to the layout of productive forces, urban functions, population distribution, transportation networks, and the ecological environment. He also set up a special chapter to study Xiamen’s urban system and ecological environment issues, promoting the coordination of Xiamen's development with resources and the environment. This pioneering planning focused on the relationship between development and protection, fully showcasing Comrade Xi Jinping’s spirit of seeking truth from facts by respecting the laws of urban development, accumulating practical experience for the construction of beautiful cities in the New Era.
Steadily promoting reforms of systems and mechanisms to meet economic development requirements and accumulate valuable experience for enhancing endogenous regional growth. Reform is the engine of development; for every step forward in development, reform must also move a step forward. Prior to the formal drafting period of the Xiamen 15-Year Strategic Plan, Comrade Xi Jinping convened a mobilization meeting for the "three major research projects," requiring that the Xiamen Special Economic Zone break through the constraints of existing systems and mechanisms. He systematically and profoundly explained the development direction, principles, and key tasks for political structural reform, enterprise management reform, market mechanism reform, and supporting reforms for social undertakings. This pioneering planning emphasized the relationship between reform and development, fully demonstrating Comrade Xi Jinping’s sense of responsibility in being enterprising, daring to explore, and diligent in practice. It provided an important framework for the New Era to stimulate regional development vitality by deepening the reform of systems and mechanisms.
Pioneering strategic ideas to promote economic and technical exchange and cooperation between the mainland and Taiwan, making a historic plan for deepening cross-Strait integrated development. Compatriots on both sides of the Strait are connected by blood and are one family. Xiamen possesses a unique geographical position and prominent advantages in developing relations with Taiwan, bearing an important mission. In presiding over the Xiamen 15-Year Strategic Plan, Comrade Xi Jinping always focused on promoting the peaceful development of cross-Strait relations, emphasizing that "the central government’s strategic decisions regarding Taiwan must be integrated into the planning of the Special Economic Zone’s economic construction and social development." He pioneeringly proposed that "in terms of economic and technological exchange and cooperation, we must gradually advance from the current small-scale indirect trade to large-scale open direct trade, and conduct comprehensive exchanges and cooperation in academics, culture, art, sports, and other fields." At the same time, he set up a special chapter to study Xiamen's status, role, and prospects in the great cause of national reunification. This pioneering planning focused on the relationship between strategy and tactics, fully demonstrating Comrade Xi Jinping’s broad vision in grasping the overall situation of cross-Strait relations from the height of the overall interests of the Chinese nation, laying a historical foundation for promoting cross-Strait cooperation and deepening integrated development in the New Era.
Deeply perceiving the practical power of the Xiamen 15-Year Strategic Plan
The vitality of a strategic plan lies in drawing a single blueprint to the end and working on it term after term. General Secretary Xi Jinping has pointed out: "Once a good blueprint is determined—as long as it is scientific, realistic, and conforms to the people's wishes—we must work on it one relay baton after another." For 40 years, Xiamen has firmly grasped the essence of the 15-year strategic plan and unswervingly followed the direction pointed out by General Secretary Xi Jinping, striving to turn the grand blueprint he drew for Xiamen into a beautiful reality.
Focusing on overall positioning and continuously strengthening the continuity of planning. "Overall positioning" means planning regional development horizontally within the national development framework and pushing for development goals to be interlinked vertically and persistently. The Xiamen 15-Year Strategic Plan fully utilized the policy advantages of being among the first Special Economic Zones and its geographical advantages of being coastal, near Taiwan, and adjacent to a port. It precisely positioned Xiamen’s urban development, striving to enhance Xiamen’s strategic status in the overall national development. For 40 years, Xiamen has remained anchored to the goals of that 15-year plan, emphasizing the strategic guiding role of planning and strengthening the continuity of plans. Adapting to the needs of the times and urban development, Xiamen has formulated and implemented the Outline for Accelerating the Construction of a Bay-type City, the Resolution on Comprehensively Promoting the Integration of Island and Hinterland, the Beautiful Xiamen Strategic Plan, the Xiamen High-Quality, High-Level, Modern and International City Development Strategy (2020–2035), the "One-Two-Three" Strategic Plan, and the Xiamen Territorial Space Master Plan (2021–2035), driving the iterative upgrade of Xiamen's development positioning. Looking back at the 40-year journey of planning-led development, from sticking to goals to consistent implementation, Xiamen has precisely positioned itself and forged ahead through "inheritance" and "achievement," always maintaining the strong resolve to "draw one blueprint to the end."
Focusing on overall coordination and continuously improving urban quality. Overall coordination is a strategic mindset based on the whole and the overall situation, as well as an important method for systematic deployment and integrated advancement. The Xiamen 15-Year Strategic Plan made systematic arrangements for the city's overall layout, infrastructure construction, and port construction, laying the foundation for Xiamen to continuously improve the quality of urban construction. For 40 years, Xiamen has deeply implemented the major strategies proposed by Comrade Xi Jinping, such as "building a seaport scenic city," "enhancing the island while developing across the island," and "building a high-quality, high-level modern international city." It has organized and implemented projects to enhance urban functional quality, such as urban renewal, expansion of new districts, environmental governance, transportation accessibility, and safety and resilience. Xiamen has been awarded the title of "National Civilized City" for seven consecutive terms and has been approved as a national-level cultural ecology protection zone and one of the first pilot cities for a modern commercial circulation system in the country. Its urban livability index ranks among the top in the nation. Looking back at the 40-year journey of planning-led development, from the accumulation of momentum to the leap in capacity, Xiamen has nurtured the quality of urban development through "planning" and "breakthroughs," continuously thickening the green and beautiful heritage of the city.
Focusing on deepening reform to continuously enhance developmental vitality. Reform is the key to liberating and developing the social productive forces, and comprehensively deepening reform is the fundamental driving force for advancing Chinese-path modernization. Xiamen’s 15-year strategic plan manifested the responsibility and mission of the Xiamen Special Economic Zone to courageously act as a "pioneer" and "vanguard," initiating a series of reform and innovation practices in which Xiamen was the "first in the nation." For 40 years, Xiamen has undertaken national-level reform pilot tasks such as the Pilot Free Trade Zone, the Independent Innovation Demonstration Zone, and "Integration of Multiple Plans" [4]. It was the first in the nation to implement the "single window" for international trade, the first to form a comprehensive intellectual property protection system, and the first to implement the environmental impact assessment approval commitment system. These actions greatly released economic and social vitality, forming a large number of innovative measures and typical experiences that could be replicated and promoted nationwide. Looking back at the course of development led by planning over the past 40 years, from exploring reform paths to comprehensive reform pilots, Xiamen has courageously acted as a reform pioneer amidst "striving" and "creating," continuously releasing developmental potential.
Focusing on guaranteeing livelihoods to continuously promote the people's well-being. Ensuring the people live a good life is the starting point and ultimate goal of all our work. Xiamen’s 15-year strategic plan clarified the value coordinates of the planning, adding a "warmth of livelihood" to Xiamen's development. For 40 years, Xiamen has consistently regarded the promotion of people's well-being as an important component of its strategic goals, persisting in guaranteeing and improving livelihoods through development. Regarding social security, it was the first in the nation to construct a multi-tier housing security system and the first to implement policies where the severely ill and disabled enjoy the "Minimum Living Guarantee" [5] independently. In education and health, it was the first to build the "School Enrollment in One Go" online system and established a unique hierarchical medical diagnosis and treatment system. Regarding culture for the people, it was appraised as a National Public Cultural Service System Demonstration Zone, and "Gulangyu: A Historic International Settlement" was successfully listed as a UNESCO World Heritage site. Regarding social stability, it was appraised as a national demonstration city for the construction of social security prevention and control systems and a "Peaceful China" [6] construction demonstration city. Looking back at the course of development led by planning over the past 40 years, from benefiting a single area to providing universal benefits for all people, Xiamen has always remained true to its original aspiration for the people amidst "benefiting" and "sharing," continuously consolidating a powerful collective force for development.
Focusing on expanding opening-up to continuously raise the level of the open economy. Opening up to the outside world is the channel for moving toward the world and a way to display an international image. Xiamen’s 15-year strategic plan systematically deployed a series of important measures to expand opening-up, laying a solid foundation for Xiamen to become an important window for our country’s opening-up. For 40 years, Xiamen has progressively constructed open carrier platforms such as export processing zones, bonded zones, bonded ports, pilot free trade zones, the Core Area of the 21st Century Maritime Silk Road, the BRICS Partnership on New Industrial Revolution Innovation Center, the 21st Century Maritime Silk Road Central Legal District, and the Demonstration Zone for Integrated Development Across the Taiwan Strait. It has deeply integrated into the high-quality joint construction of the "Belt and Road" and the global economic system, hosting important diplomatic events such as the 9th BRICS Summit and the first China-GCC (Gulf Cooperation Council) States Forum on Industrial and Investment Cooperation. It has achieved an iterative upgrade from "commodity and factor flow" opening-up to "institutional" opening-up, becoming an important hub for international transportation, an important gathering place for international capital, and an important window for international exchange. Looking back at the course of development led by planning over the past 40 years, from exploring layouts to bold experimentation, Xiamen has courageously stood at the forefront of opening-up amidst "inclusivity" and "integration," continuously raising its level of modernization and internationalization.
Focusing on ecological governance to continuously promote green development. Sustaining the advancement of ecological environmental governance is an essential requirement for polishing the "green background" of development and strictly guarding the bottom line of environmental safety. Xiamen’s 15-year strategic plan integrated ecological environmental protection into the overall situation of economic and social development, exploring a new path of coordinated symbiosis between development and protection. For 40 years, Xiamen was the first in the nation to launch the exploration of "Integration of Multiple Plans," merging urban construction with the natural landscape of mountains and waters, constructing an ecological security pattern of "one screen, one bay, and ten corridors" and a city spatial pattern of "one island, one belt, and multiple centers." Anchoring the goal of "being the vanguard in the construction of an Ecological Province," and led by the comprehensive treatment of Yundang Lake, it constructed a grand pattern of holistic protection and governance from mountain peaks to the ocean. It successfully carried out the "Xiamen Practice" of ecological civilization construction, earning multiple honors such as the UN-Habitat Scroll of Honour Award, the International Awards for Liveable Communities (LivCom), and the National Environmental Protection Model City. Looking back at the course of development led by planning over the past 40 years, from a small isolated island city of the past to the "sea garden" of today, Xiamen has deeply practiced the concept of ecological civilization amidst "greenery" and "beauty," continuously consolidating the green foundation of high-quality development.
Profoundly Grasping the Experiences and Inspirations of Xiamen’s 15-Year Strategic Plan
Great achievements inspire progress; precious experiences point to the future. At present, the mission of scientifically planning the "15th Five-Year Plan" (2026–2030) and even the longer-term economic and social development of our country rests on our shoulders. General Secretary Xi Jinping pointed out: "Compiling and implementing the '15th Five-Year Plan' is of great significance for fully implementing the strategic deployments of the 20th National Congress of the CPC and advancing Chinese-path modernization." Xiamen’s 15-year strategic plan contains precious ideological wisdom and practical power. We must accurately grasp the Marxist stance, viewpoints, and methods running through it, summarize and extract the practical experience of planning leading development, and continuously elevate this into regular understanding [7] while continuously enriching and deepening it, to better exert the guiding role of planning over economic and social development.
Always persist in combining the leadership of the Party with the supremacy of the people, and consolidate the collective force of plan formulation with a style of being open to all ideas. Persisting in the unification of Party leadership and the supremacy of the people to form a superimposed collective force is an important experience formed by our country through long-term practice. The formulation process of Xiamen’s 15-year strategic plan consistently persisted in integrating Party leadership throughout, giving play to the Party's role in setting the direction, managing the overall situation, making policies, and promoting reform. At the same time, it fully absorbed social expectations, the wisdom of the masses, expert opinions, and grassroots experience, converging them into a powerful collective force for development. Since the 18th National Congress of the CPC, the CPC Central Committee with Comrade Xi Jinping at its core has persisted in the people-centered development philosophy, actively consolidating the wisdom and strength of the masses in advancing plan formulation, and incorporating these into the top-level design of various fields, ensuring that plans both manifest the Party's propositions and reflect the people's will. Recently, the "Draft National Development Planning Law of the People's Republic of China" was submitted for the first time to a meeting of the Standing Committee of the National People's Congress for deliberation and public comment, once again demonstrating the unique advantages of whole-process people's democracy. On the new journey in the New Era, formulating strategic plans must both give play to the Party’s core leadership role in overseeing the whole situation and coordinating all parties—anchoring the direction with political height, reinforcing the framework with professional precision, and grasping the direction and pace of reform with a macroscopic vision—and listen to the people's will with a mind as broad as the ocean [8], pooling the people's wisdom through diversified governance, and consolidating consensus through open consultation, thus unifying top-level design with "seeking advice from the people" and continuously improving the scientific and democratic nature of plan formulation.
Always persist in combining systemic planning with step-by-step implementation, promoting the transformation of grand goals into beautiful realities with the determination to "paint a single blueprint to the end." Reform and development are complex systemic projects that require overall coordination using global concepts and systemic thinking, as well as steady advancement in stages and steps. Xiamen’s 15-year strategic plan decomposed the strategic goal of building a "free-port-type Special Economic Zone" into a staged strategy of "one model, two transitions," making medium-to-long-term goals and short-term goals overlap and interlock, which became a major characteristic. Since the 18th National Congress of the CPC, the CPC Central Committee with Comrade Xi Jinping at its core has conducted systemic planning for major strategies concerning the overall development of the Party and the country, proposing struggle goals and strategic layouts, clarifying staged task arrangements, and effectively promoting the implementation and results of the plans. On the new journey in the New Era, formulating strategic plans requires both drawing a "panoramic map" from the macro level to clarify medium-to-long-term development directions and strategic priorities, and meticulously painting a "construction map" from the micro level to grasp the rhythm and progress, formulating detailed implementation schemes, roadmaps, and timetables. Attention must be paid to the systemic, holistic, and synergistic nature of goals, tasks, and policy measures to ensure the operability of the plan and its effective implementation.
Always persist in combining forward-looking thinking with a foothold in the present, integrating the scientific concept of seeking truth from facts throughout the entire process of plan implementation. Balancing the present and the long term is an important working method consistently upheld by our Party. This requires us to both think ahead and plan in advance to "play the first move" [9], and to stand on the present and work with earnest pragmatism to handle immediate tasks. Xiamen’s 15-year strategic plan looked toward the overall situation of reform and opening-up, major national regional strategies, and the overall situation of world economic development, accurately grasping the historical and strategic positioning to determine scientific development ideas; meanwhile, it stood on the staged characteristics and realistic foundation of urban development, clearly marking development coordinates and proposing pragmatic strategic measures. Since the 18th National Congress of the CPC, the CPC Central Committee with Comrade Xi Jinping at its core has scientifically planned strategic goals, formulated strategic measures, and made strategic deployments, promoting the effective implementation of strategic plans. On the new journey in the New Era, formulating strategic plans must both "not fear the clouds blocking one's vision" [10], accurately positioning within the two overall situations of domestic and international affairs to ensure the "feelers" for exploring opportunities are more sensitive and actions to seize opportunities are more rapid; and "plan development with feet on the ground," determining goal tasks and proposing ideas and measures field by field, using the certainty of plan implementation to respond to the uncertainty of situational changes.
Always persist in combining upholding the fundamentals and breaking new ground with the courage to innovate, stimulating the vitality and momentum of planning-led development with the spirit of "daring to be first." Upholding the fundamentals is the premise and foundation for innovation, while innovation is the purpose and path of upholding the fundamentals. Only by combining the two can we avoid losing our direction and lead the times. The strategic goals and development measures formulated in Xiamen’s 15-year strategic plan are all directed and principled; they are all innovative developments based on adhering to existing scientific mechanisms and practices. Since the 18th National Congress of the CPC, the CPC Central Committee with Comrade Xi Jinping at its core has consistently persisted in upholding the fundamentals and breaking new ground, continuously improving the system for plan formulation and implementation, promoting the integrated development of technological and industrial innovation, and pushing our country's high-quality development to continuously achieve new results. On the new journey in the New Era, formulating strategic plans must persist in "stabilizing the helm" while upholding fundamentals—resolutely changing what should be changed and not changing what should not be changed—safeguarding the direction, principles, and stance. Simultaneously, we must seek breakthroughs through courageous innovation, vigorously promoting theoretical, practical, institutional, and other forms of innovation to provide powerful momentum for economic and social development.
Always persist in combining holistic advancement with key breakthroughs, promoting the realization of planning tasks as scheduled with the tenacity of "persisting over the long term." Holistic advancement and key breakthroughs are an important pair of relationships that must be handled correctly to promote development. Only by grasping key points and tackling difficulties on the basis of holistic advancement can work have both comprehensive arrangements and specific handles. Xiamen’s 15-year strategic plan consistently maintained a global perspective, focusing on comprehensive coverage and coordinated advancement across all fields, while also focusing on seizing the "ox's nose" [11] of institutional reform, technological development, and talent cultivation, achieving the combination of holistic advancement and key breakthroughs. Since the 18th National Congress of the CPC, the CPC Central Committee with Comrade Xi Jinping at its core has made strategic deployments for winning the battle to comprehensively build a moderately prosperous society and comprehensively build a modern socialist country, achieving key breakthroughs within holistic advancement and driving holistic advancement through key breakthroughs, promoting the successful completion of planning goals and tasks. On the new journey in the New Era, formulating strategic plans must correctly handle the relationship between the whole and the part, and between the comprehensive and the key. We must both work hard on holistic advancement to ensure goals, tasks, and measures comprehensively cover the overall requirements of advancing Chinese-path modernization; and grasp key and decisive factors, focusing on consolidating and expanding advantages, breaking through bottlenecks, strengthening weak links, and improving quality and efficiency, so as to "lift the net by its headrope, and all the thousand meshes will open" [12].
Source: People's Daily, July 7, 2025, Page 13 Web Editor: Tongxin