Liu Xizhong: Painting a New Blueprint for Chinese Modernization Through Planning Coordination
General Secretary Xi Jinping presided over the fourth meeting of the Central Committee for Comprehensively Deepening Reform in 2018. The meeting emphasized accelerating the establishment of a planning system characterized by sound institutions, scientific standards, and effective operation; constructing coordination mechanisms between development planning and fiscal, financial, and other policies; and better leveraging the strategic guiding role of national development planning. The Recommendations of the CPC Central Committee on Formulating the Fifteenth Five-Year Plan for National Economic and Social Development (hereinafter referred to as the "Recommendations"), adopted by the Fourth Plenary Session of the 20th CPC Central Committee, stands at the height of the overall development of the Party and the country’s undertakings. It provides top-level design and strategic mapping for development over the next five years. With its scientifically precise guiding principles, clear objectives, and pragmatic measures, it serves as another general mobilization and deployment to build on current momentum and consecutively advance Chinese-path modernization.
To basically achieve socialist modernization, all regions and departments must implement the Decision and deployment of the Party Central Committee, promoting the coordinated development and holistic advancement of all undertakings. The deployments in the "Recommendations"—such as "strengthening the strategic guiding role of national development planning" and "improving mechanisms for inter-regional planning coordination, industrial collaboration, and interest sharing"—embody a scientific methodology of holistic coordination and comprehensive balancing. They provide the fundamental follows for all regions and departments to empower high-quality development through planning alignment and to hand-in-hand paint a magnificent picture of Chinese-path modernization. In planning for economic and social development during the "Fifteenth Five-Year Plan" period, all regions and departments must accurately position themselves within the national overall situation and strengthen planning alignment.
The "Recommendations" provide top-level design and strategic mapping for development over the next five years and serve a macro-guiding role.
General Secretary Xi Jinping noted: "The scientific formulation and consecutive implementation of Five-Year Plans is an important experience of our Party in governing the country." Chinese-path modernization is promoted in stages and across different fields. Realizing socialist modernization is a historical process of step-by-step progression and continuous development, requiring unremitting efforts and consecutive struggle. Carrying the mission of transforming the will of the Party and the state into developmental results, the Five-Year Plan is an important political advantage of socialism with Chinese characteristics. Since 1953, China has formulated and implemented 14 Five-Year Plans (and programs), which have effectively driven economic and social development, enhanced comprehensive national strength, and improved people’s lives. The "Fifteenth Five-Year Plan" period occupies an important position as a link between the past and the future in the process of basically achieving socialist modernization. To leverage the strategic guiding role of the Five-Year Plan and promote sustained, healthy economic development and comprehensive social progress during this period, we must gain deep insight into global development trends, investigate the laws of economic and social development, and create strategic mappings that reflect the times, grasp regularities, and are rich in creativity.
From the perspective of the development environment, the changes unseen in a century [1] are accelerating, and a new round of technological revolution and industrial transformation is reaching breakthroughs. The global political and economic landscape will continue to undergo major adjustments, differentiation, and restructuring. This requires us to plan for and promote economic and social development during the "Fifteenth Five-Year Plan" period within a complex and severe environment. From the perspective of development conditions, China is in a critical stage of leaping from a middle-income country to a high-income country, and further advancing toward a moderately developed country. China's economy has demonstrated strong vitality and resilience in complex and severe environments; its supporting conditions for long-term improvement and its fundamental trends remain unchanged. Promoting development during this period offers multi-faceted advantages, yet the problem of unbalanced and inadequate development remains prominent. From the perspective of development stages, the 19th CPC National Congress proposed a "two-step" strategic arrangement [2] to fully build a great modern socialist country by the middle of this century, moving the timeline for basically achieving socialist modernization forward to 2035—a goal further clarified at the 20th CPC National Congress. In the journey toward 2035, the "Fifteenth Five-Year Plan" period is the second five-year period, representing a critical stage for consolidating the foundation and exerting full force. Overall, China's development is in a period where strategic opportunities coexist with risks and challenges, and where uncertain and unpredictable factors are increasing; however, opportunities still outweigh challenges. Only by formulating a strategic, forward-looking, and guiding planning recommendation to scientifically lead development over the next five years can we realize the grand blueprint drawn by the 20th CPC National Congress, promote Chinese-path modernization in stages and steps, effectively respond to new changes in the complex and severe external environment, and gain strategic initiative amidst the changes unseen in a century.
The "Recommendations" accurately grasp the historical coordinates of the Party and state’s undertakings during the "Fifteenth Five-Year Plan" period, profoundly analyze the complex changes in the development environment, and clarify the overall thinking, important principles, main goals, strategic tasks, and major measures. In his "Explanatory Note on the Recommendations of the CPC Central Committee on Formulating the Fifteenth Five-Year Plan for National Economic and Social Development," General Secretary Xi Jinping pointed out that the draft "embodies the historical initiative to continue writing the 'two miracles' [3] of rapid economic development and long-term social stability and to strive to open new horizons for Chinese-path modernization, which will surely have a major and far-reaching impact on the development of the Party and the state." The "Recommendations" are consistent with the concepts and ideas of the "Fourteenth Five-Year Plan" while advancing with the times and upholding the fundamentals and breaking new ground. They profoundly answer several major questions regarding development over the next five years and clearly map the path forward for building a strong country and national rejuvenation. With a broad vision, profound conception, and rich connotation, it is a programmatic document that conforms to China's national conditions, grasps developmental laws, and responds to the people’s expectations. Strengthening and expanding advantages, breaking through bottleneck constraints, and reinforcing weak links under the guidance of the "Recommendations" will lay a more solid foundation for basically achieving socialist modernization.
Strengthening planning alignment under the guidance of the "Recommendations."
General Secretary Xi Jinping pointed out: "When planning economic and social development for the 'Fifteenth Five-Year Plan' period, all regions must accurately position themselves within the national overall situation and strengthen planning alignment." He further emphasized: "We must accurately grasp the stage-specific requirements... focusing on the great cause of building a strong country and national rejuvenation... and determining goals and tasks field by field." The "Recommendations" propose: "In accordance with the spirit of this Plenary Session, formulate national and local 'Fifteenth Five-Year Plan' outlines and special plans to form a national planning system with accurate positioning, clear boundaries, complementary functions, and unified alignment." To implement this requirement, we must first straighten out the relationship between national development planning and special plans.
National development planning—namely the Five-Year Plan—occupies the leading position in the national planning system; it is the blueprint and program of action for China’s economic and social development during the planning period. Special plans (专项规划) serve as important bases for guiding development in specific fields, laying out major engineering projects, rationally allocating public resources, guiding the flow of social capital, and formulating relevant policies. The alignment between various types of plans at all levels is key to ensuring they coordinate and form a synergy. It is also an important requirement for transforming the institutional advantages of socialism with Chinese characteristics into governance efficacy through the rule of law.
Since the 18th CPC National Congress, our Party has attached great importance to the construction of the planning system and implementation mechanisms. The "Opinions on Unifying the Planning System and Better Playing the Strategic Guiding Role of National Development Planning," issued by the CPC Central Committee and the State Council in 2018, made important arrangements for streamlining planning relationships, unifying the planning system, and improving planning management. It clarified that national development planning occupies the highest position and serves as the general follow for all other plans; national-level special plans, regional plans, and spatial plans must all be formulated based on the national development plan. The "Decision" of the Third Plenary Session of the 20th CPC Central Committee proposed "improving the national strategic planning system and policy coordination mechanism," emphasizing "improving the institutional system of national economic and social development planning and strengthening the mechanism for planning alignment and implementation." In April and September 2024 [4], the Standing Committee of the National People's Congress deliberated twice on the National Development Planning Law of the People's Republic of China (Draft), promoting the formulation and implementation of planning on a rule-of-law track. This provides legal support for establishing a system "led by national development planning, based on territorial spatial planning, and supported by special and regional plans."
At this new starting point, regions and departments must follow the "Recommendations," leverage the strategic guiding role of national development planning, and grasp the inner logic between plans. Vertically, we must focus on the continuity of formulation and execution, the alignment between the current and previous planning periods, and the alignment between lower-level and upper-level plans, "drawing one blueprint to the end" [5]. Horizontally, we must follow the principle of mutual coordination between plans of equal standing, enhancing the connection between regions and the coupling between fields. We must increase the consistency and coordination of macro-policy orientations across economic, social, cultural, and ecological fields, adhering to the principle of "one chessboard" [6] for national development to ensure that efforts are made in the same direction to form a synergy and advance Chinese-path modernization through multi-dimensional coordination.
Grasping important principles to promote planning alignment.
General Secretary Xi Jinping pointed out: "Advancing Chinese-path modernization is a systematic project that requires holistic coordination, systematic planning, and holistic advancement." To turn the grand blueprint of the "Recommendations" into reality, we must "grasp the essentials while detailing the parts" and "reach the broad and great while exhausting the refined and subtle" [7]. We should give full play to the strategic guiding role of national development planning, enhance the supporting role of special and regional plans, and strengthen the alignment of all types of plans. We must encourage regions and departments to accurately position themselves within the national overall situation, reflect their own characteristics, and leverage comparative advantages when determining development ideas and strategic measures. By strengthening organic alignment and integrated linkage, we can work together toward the goals of the top-level design.
Adhere to the unity of goal-orientation and problem-orientation. General Secretary Xi Jinping noted: "We must take goals as the starting point, working hard on holistic planning and top-level design to enhance the sense of direction and planning; we must also take problems as the focal point, continuing to exert effort on fixing short boards and strengthening weak links to enhance precision and effectiveness." Planning must be comprehensive yet highlight key points, concentrating superior resources and strength to accomplish major tasks. The prerequisite for planning alignment is the alignment of goals. On one hand, we must focus on the systemic, holistic, and synergistic nature of goals and policies. Centered on the blueprint of the "Recommendations," we must design roadmaps and construction drawings for regional and field-specific development during the "Fifteenth Five-Year Plan" period that remain consistent with the overall goals. On the other hand, we must persist in problem-orientation, grasping key and decisive factors. We must highlight local characteristics, leverage comparative advantages, manage the rhythm and pace of development, break through bottlenecks, and improve quality and efficiency. Building on the existing blueprint, we should actively innovate to ensure the steady and long-term progress of Chinese-path modernization.
Adhere to the unity of top-level design and soliciting opinions from the people. General Secretary Xi Jinping pointed out: "The formulation of the Five-Year Plan involves all aspects of economic and social development and is closely related to the production and lives of the people. We need to unify the strengthening of top-level design with the persistence of soliciting opinions from the people." To give full play to the leading role of planning, we must look at the long term and grasp general trends to maintain the authority and unity of national development planning. Simultaneously, we must open our doors to suggestions and gather wisdom from all sides, fully releasing the initiative and creativity of local exploration. Social expectations, public wisdom, expert opinions, and grassroots experience should be fully absorbed into the planning process. In formulating local and especially cross-regional plans, we must encourage the public and all sectors of society to offer advice. We should carefully study and absorb opinions from various stakeholders—including government departments, scholars, enterprises, and social organizations—regarding the development environment, goals, strategic thinking, key issues, and major tasks. This will coalesce a powerful force to advance Chinese-path modernization and continuously realize the people's aspirations for a better life.
Adhere to the unity of self-development and serving the overall situation. In promoting the development of a massive collective, handling the relationship between self-development and collaborative development is vital. Strengthening planning alignment requires breaking down...
The mindset of "one's own one-and-a-third mu of land" [8] must be broken. Under the centralized and unified leadership of the Party Central Committee, all regions and departments must be encouraged to shift from the simple pursuit of their own interests toward integrating their own development into the overarching situation of integral development. For example, addressing problems that previously existed in the development of the Yangtze River Economic Belt—such as disordered and inefficient competition and structural isomorphism in industry—General Secretary Xi Jinping pointed out: "Every region and every city should and must have the desire to promote its own development; this is beyond reproach. However, in the process of their respective development, they must proceed from the whole, establish the 'one game of chess' [9] mentality, and place their own development within the larger framework of collaborative development. This achieves staggered development, coordinated development, and organic integration, forming an overall collective force." In planning development, all regions and departments must keep the "top priorities of the nation" [10] in mind, consciously place the development of their specific area within the national development strategy, and clarify their respective functional positioning within the national development landscape. By pursuing staggered development and complementary advantages, and by taking proactive initiatives and coordinated actions, they can use scientific planning to guide and promote the efficient flow and optimal allocation of productive factors across larger scopes and broader fields, thereby constructing new advantages for high-quality development.
We must persist in the unification of supporting development and guaranteeing security. General Secretary Xi Jinping proposed: "Party committees and governments at all levels must persist in systems thinking and further establish the principle that development is the absolute truth [11] and security is also the absolute truth. In their work, they must consciously unify development and security, planning them together, deploying them as one, and ensuring they promote each other." In planning economic and social development for the "15th Five-Year Plan" period (2026–2030), the formulation and implementation of plans must be used to promote a virtuous cycle of interaction between high-quality development and high-level security. On one hand, we must unswervingly manage our own affairs well, focusing on important aspects such as optimizing regional layouts and promoting coordinated regional development. We must analyze and research effective measures for developing new quality productive forces according to local conditions, accelerate the construction of the new development pattern, and comprehensively promote high-quality development. On the other hand, the formulation and implementation of plans must implement the Comprehensive National Security Outlook, maintaining a baseline of security throughout. We must take a holistic view of internal and external risks and challenges, continuously improve the public security system, and actively and effectively respond to various risks and challenges. This will further enhance the security and stability of development, using the new security pattern to guarantee the new development pattern.
We must persist in the unification of scientific deployment and the promotion of implementation. To leverage the leading role of planning, the key lies in successful implementation. On the basis of implementing the requirements of the "Proposal" [12], and in combination with the developmental reality of one's own region or department, we must scientifically propose general ideas and specific goals. We must ensure that all policy measures are scientifically rigorous and feasible, and promote the precise engagement of "gears" between various types of plans at all levels. This avoids "fighting with one's own left and right hands" [13]—where the planning measures of one's own region or department contradict or cancel out those of other regions or departments. We must strive to provide comprehensive guidance and all-around support for advancing Chinese-path modernization through multi-dimensional alignment, all-encompassing coordination, and three-dimensional connectivity of plans. At the same time, we must place implementation in a prominent position, strengthening the mechanisms for the linking and fulfillment of plans. We should establish and improve working mechanisms characterized by clear responsibilities, complete chains of command, and interlocking steps. By clarifying the division of duties, pressing home responsibilities at every level, and strengthening tracking and evaluation, we can promote the implementation of reform and development measures in a meticulous and grounded manner. This ensures that the process of executing plans truly becomes a process of regional synergy and common development, effectively moving plans from "paper" to the "ground," and ensuring that decisive progress is made toward basically achieving socialist modernization.