Understand China | What inspiration do the five-year plans offer for the Global South?

The "Understand China" program, produced by People's Daily Online, aims to interpret China's planning, opportunities, and governance, to eliminate misunderstandings, and to enhance comprehension and recognition between Chinese and international audiences through in-depth dialogues between Chinese and foreign scholars.

The scientific formulation and successive implementation of China's five-year plans represent a crucial approach in the Communist Party of China (CPC)'s governance and serve as an essential window for the international community to understand Chinese modernization.

This episode of "Understand China" features a conversation between Liu Hongwu, director of the Institute of African Studies at Zhejiang Normal University, and Yoro Diallo, a 2024 Chinese Government Friendship Award recipient, senior researcher at the Institute of African Studies at Zhejiang Normal University, and director of the Institute's African Museum. Together, they delve into the institutional advantages of "seeing the overarching roadmap through to the end" and explore the certainty and stability that China's five-year plans bring to the world.

Diallo emphasized that to understand China, people need to deeply understand its history and the history of the CPC. "When you know about China," explained Diallo, "you will understand the way China's development is based on five-year plans."

Diallo believes that China consistently prioritizes the wellbeings of its people, offering valuable development experiences for the Global South. "The successive implementation of China's five-year plans has created a miracle. It is the fruit of working hard, planning, and good governance."

Liu noted that regardless of external changes, China has never forgotten and never changed its original aspirations and plans. "Because of this reason, we get to work generation after generation."

Liu referred to the Chinese phrase "Fan Shao Bing," which means constantly changing like flipping pancakes, to emphasize the importance of following through on a plan. "Even if the policy itself is good, you can never be successful if you constantly change your plans," said Liu.

Diallo refuted claims by some foreign media outlets that China's five-year plans constitute "excessive government intervention in the market." "I believe China's institutional guidance in political, economic, and social policies is an advantage," he said. This guidance points the way for the people, without blocking their movements, allowing them to freely pursue development opportunities. Liu further supported the claim of Diallo, adding that the five-year plans serve as guidance for the people, not intervention.

The recommendations of the 15th Five-Year Plan (2026-2030) emphasize steadily expanding institutional opening-up, thereby sharing opportunities and fostering common development with countries worldwide. Diallo stated that the 15th Five-Year Plan will write a new chapter in Chinese modernization.

"This new five-year plan will also contribute to building Africa-China cooperation, and to help Africa to realize the plan 'Agenda 2063,' known as the African dream," said Diallo. He believes that the 15th Five-Year Plan will add more success to what Africa and China are doing together.