The Start of 14th Five-Year Plan Opens a New Journey
--- From the Central Economic Work Conference Held in 2020 to Planning the 14th Five-Year Plan by the CPC Central Committee with Comrade Xi Jinping at its core

The Start of 14th Five-Year Plan Opens a New Journey
--- From the Central Economic Work Conference Held in 2020 to Planning the 14th Five-Year Plan by the CPC Central Committee with Comrade Xi Jinping at its core

Starting the 14th Five-Year Plan and embarking on the new march

It's again the end of the year, and the annual Central Economic Work Conference affects the global attention held from 16 to 18 December in Jingxi Hotel, Beijing.

This year's conference is with special background, at key juncture and of great significance.

From 16 to 18 December 2020 Standing at the historical intersection of the "Two Centenary Goals", the 2020 Central Economic Work Conference plans China's economic development strategy.

General Secretary Xi Jinping delivered an important speech at the meeting. He profoundly analyzed the economic situation at home and abroad, put forward the general requirements and policy orientation of economic work for 2021, and planned key tasks for opening of the "14th Five-Year Plan" and a new course for comprehensively building a socialist modernized country.

Splendid achievements in history -- Extraordinary achievements are made in the extraordinary year. The CPC Central Committee with Comrade Xi Jinping at its core has united and led hundreds of millions of people to fight hard and give a reply that satisfies the needs of the people, attracts the attention of the world and goes down in history.

"Extraordinary" -- at this Central Economic Work Conference, General Secretary Xi Jinping summed up the year 2020 with this key word, emphasizing that "the new year is an extraordinary year in the history of new China".

At the two-and-a-half-day conference, when comrades attending the meeting looked back on the year almost passed, they were particularly moved. The word "extraordinary" contains magnificent, risky, lamentable, brilliant achievements and other rich contents, some comrades said.

The conference pointed out that the impact on the global economy this year is different from that of the great depression in 1929 and the spread of the international financial crisis in 2008, which, instead, was facing the dual impact of supply interruption and shrinking demand, and the difficulties are unprecedented

Novel coronavirus pandemic is a serious challenge in the face of the severe and complicated international situation and arduous domestic reform and development and stability tasks. The Central Committee of the CPC, with Comrade Xi Jinping at its core, has maintained strategic determination, accurately judged the situation, carefully planned and assigned, acted decisively, and worked hard to produce a reply that people can satisfy and attract worldwide attention and can be included in the annals of history.

Visitors at the special exhibition area of the Fair for Trade in Service at the central axis Avenue of Beijing Olympic Park, photo taken on September 9 by reporter Lu Peng, Xinhua News Agency.

China's economy has encountered three serious shocks rarely seen in the 21st century

The first is sudden outbreak of the novel coronavirus pandemic unseen in a hundred years. The second is the worst recession of the world economy since the end of the Second World War. The third is some countries escalate the overall containment and suppression and bring about enormous challenges to the external environment.

"Taking the lead in controlling the epidemic situation", "taking the lead in resuming work and production" and "taking the lead in realizing the economic growth from negative to positive", which are used by the conference to outline the distinctive characteristics of China's economic and social development trend this year.

Under the triple severe impacts, China has fought a beautiful battle and achieved major gains in the three areas, has harvested rich material achievements, spiritual wealth and greatly improved international influence. Our cohesion and centripetal force have been greatly improved, a comrade attending the meeting said emotionally.

In the face of the severe and complicated international situation, the arduous tasks of domestic reform, development and stability, particularly serious challenges by the novel coronavirus pneumonia, the Central Committee of the CPC with Comrade Xi Jinping at its core, has maintained strategic determination, accurately judged the situation, carefully planned and deployed, acted decisively, and worked hard to produce a reply that can satisfy people, attract worldwide attention and can be written in the annals of history.

On November 11, at the 22nd China International High Tech Fair (High-Tech Fair) held in Shenzhen, visitors learned about "hualong-1" nuclear power technology at the CGN booth. Photo by reporter Mao Siqian, Xinhua News Agency

--China has become the only major economy in the world to have achieved positive economic growth. Its economy shrank by 6.8% in the first quarter, increased by 3.2% in the second quarter, and rebounded to 4.9% growth in the third quarter. China's economic operation has improved quarter by quarter and gradually returned to normal. The total annual economic volume will exceed 100 trillion yuan RMB. Great progress has been made in scientific and technological innovation, the pace of tackling key and core technologies has been accelerated, and new driving forces and new industrial formats have emerged. China's economy has shown strong anti-risk ability and tenacious resilience.

This is the Furong River comprehensive treatment project in Jiangdongnew district of Haikou City, Hainan province, photo taken by UAV on November 6 by Guo Cheng, Xinhua News Agency.

--Decisive achievements are made in the three major battles. At the beginning of the year, all the remaining 5.51 million rural people under poverty line were lifted out of poverty, and all 52 poverty-stricken counties were taken off poverty on time. The quality of ecological environment continues to improve, and the green development momentum maintains sound. A number of major potential risks are "accurately removed", and the financial risks control has achieved important periodical results.

This is the Xiaochantan Wharf in Yangpu, Hainan, Photo taken on September 23 by PuXiaoxu, Xinhua News Agency

--We have made important breakthroughs in reform and opening up. There are a number of major initiatives for reform and opening up such as the construction of the free trade port in Hainan launched, and foreign trade and foreign investment growing against the unfavorable conditions, the Belt and Road construction steadily push ahead, and the regional comprehensive economic partnership agreement signed successfully, thus the reform and opening up set out at a new starting point.

--People's livelihood is strongly guaranteed. More than 11 million new jobs are created in cities and townships, and the growth of residents' income is basically in pace with economic growth. New progress has been made in cultural tourism, social security, public health, emergency management, social governance and affordable housing projects, and the work of making up for weaknesses in the field of social development has been accelerated. The market supply is abundant and the price remains basically stable.

This is the National Convention and Exhibition Center (Shanghai) on November 3. Photo by Wu Kai, Xinhua News Agency.

The year 2020 is also the closing year of the 13th Five Year Plan. After five years of continuous efforts, China's economic and social development has made new historic achievements. China's economic strength, scientific and technological strength, comprehensive national strength and people's living standards have risen to a new level. The victory of building a moderately prosperous society in an all respects is in sight, and the great rejuvenation of the Chinese nation has taken a new big step forward.

China is forging ahead through the wind and waves of the world economic recession, and can be proud of writing it in the history of development of the Chinese nation."Finishing the epidemic prevention and control examination paper with high quality, doing everything possible to stabilize the economic fundamentals, and comprehensively showing the significant advantages of China's governance", discussed warmly and deeply about the difficult situation and extraordinary achievements in this year during the group meeting by the comrades attending the conference.

Through hardships and dangers, the achievements are not easily won, which is the result of the strong leadership of the CPC Central Committee with Comrade Xi Jinping at the core and also the result of the concerted efforts and united struggles of the whole Party and the people of whole nation.

Looking around the world, the contrast between the governance of China and the chaos in the West is more distinct. The people support the CPC's leadership from the bottom of their hearts, feel more deeply the superiority of the socialist system, and are more sincerely proud of the great motherland.

Valuable enlightenment -- a major test at a critical juncture, in-depth understanding of the law of doing well in economic work under severe challenges, and of the connotation of "five fundamentals" is profound and full of enlightenment

The conference stressed that in the practice of coordinating the overall situation at home and abroad, and coordinating the overall epidemic prevention and control and economic and social development, we have deepened our understanding of the regularity of doing a good job in economic work under severe challenges

The authority of the CPC Central Committee is the fundamental support for the whole Party and the people of all ethnic groups to meet difficulties in times of the crisis.

"The people first is the fundamental premise of making the right choice"

"The institutional advantage is the fundamental guarantee for forming a great force to overcome difficulties together". "The scientific decision-making and creative response is the fundamental methods to turn crisis into opportunity"."Self-reliance and self-improvement of science and technology is the fundamental support to promote the overall situation of development". The "five fundamentals" experiences put forward at the meeting sum up the past and enlighten the future.

"These five-fundamental principles are both laws and experiences, and are the fundamental compliance for us to coordinate economic and social development and move from victory to victory." In the discussions, comrades attending the meeting generally are of the view that this is a high generalization of the latest achievements of Xi Jinping Thought on Socialist Economy with Chinese Characteristics in the New Era.

Among the "five fundamentals," it is "the authority of the CPC Central Committee that is the fundamental support for the whole Party and the people of all ethnic groups to meet difficulties in times of the crisis", which is the command leadership and the key.

The meeting clearly pointed out that it is the judgment, decision-making and action of the CPC Central Committee that play a decisive role at a major historical juncture and in the face of a major test.

On June 1, citizens spent their leisure time at Baocheng Road night market in Wuhan. Photo by reporter Xiong Qi, Xinhua News Agency

"The extraordinary achievements made by China turning the crisis into opportunity and through the wind and waves are not accidental or good luck, but are achieved through the most important guidance that it is General Secretary Xi Jinping and the Central Committee of the CPC who take the helm of the pilot, a member of the drafting group said.

Faced with compound shocks, from the implementation of Wuhan's close-down decision-making to the orderly resumption of work and production, from the hard battle for the COVID-19 pandemic prevention and control to the resolute struggle to win the poverty alleviation battle across the whole country, General Secretary Xi Jinping responded extraordinarily to the extraordinary difficulties, acting calmly, making scientific decisions, devising strategies, playing the leading role. In response to the great changes with grand thinking, he once again demonstrates the excellent ability of governing the country.

"The historic achievements in this year are a great success and fruitful achievements in the concrete practice of Xi Jinping Thought on Socialism with Chinese Characteristics in the New Era," sincerely explained by comrades attending the meeting during the group discussions.

The fundamentals such as people first, system advantage, scientific decision-making and creative response, science and technology self-reliance and self-improvement are all full of enlightenments. These precious experiences have inspired Chinese people to work hard and lead China's economic and social development through rainstorm.

Coming back from the moon and moving forward in pursuit of dreams.

On December 4, the National Space Administration released the photos of the National Flag by the Chang'e-5 spacecraft on the lunar surface. The panoramic camera of Chang'e-5 lander was shooting the five-star red flag successfully unfolding on the lunar surface. In addition, the robotic arm and sampler that have completed surface sampling can be seen in the above image. Xinhua News Agency (photo provided by National Space Administration)

"This is another important achievement made by taking advantage of the new-typed national system." On December 17th, General Secretary Xi Jinping sent a special telegram to congratulate the complete success of the Chang’e -5 project on behalf of the CPC Central Committee, the State Council and the Central Military Commission.

During the meeting, the Chang'e-5 probe, which carried about 2 kg of lunar soil, successfully returned, which aroused the attention and hot discussions of the participants.

At about 8:30 on November 28, the Submersible Fendouzhe, or "Striver" set a new record of 10,909 meters in China's deep-sea manned diving ,and completed the second stage of sea trial and successfully returned home. Xinhua News Agency (picture provided by China Shipbuilding Group)

"Self-reliance and self-improvement in science and technology is the fundamental support for promoting the overall situation of development, which we deeply understand." A comrade from a unit of science and technology attending the meeting said that from the completion of the 10,000 meters deep-sea trial by the "Striver" to the significant progress made in the research and development of the "Jiuzhang" quantum computer, a series of innovative achievements are shown near the end of the year, which confirms the sonorous and powerful pace of China's high-quality development.

On December 4, the University of Science And Technology of China announced that Pan Jianwei and others of the university had successfully built the 76 photon quantum computing prototype " Jiuzhang. This breakthrough makes China the second country in the world to realize "quantum superiority". This is the real image of optical quantum interference: the lower left part is the input optical path, the lower right part is the phase-locked optical path, and the upper part outputs 100 optical modes, which are respectively connected with 100 superconducting single-photon detector through low single-mode fiber. Xinhua News Agency

"Every time attending, the conference, one is more confident when hearing General Secretary Xi Jinping's speech and planning work.""Whether it is a major battle or a major test, strong backbone is trustworthy!" Comrades attending the conference feel deeply that under the strong leadership of the CPC Central Committee with Comrade Xi Jinping at the core and thoroughly understanding the experience of implementing the "five fundamentals", the cause of socialism with Chinese characteristics will surely remain invincible and create new and greater miracles.

On December 17, a teacher of aircraft maintenance in Fengrun District comprehensive vocational and technical education center of Tangshan City, Hebei Province, giving a lesson to students (UAV photo). Photo by Mou Yu, Xinhua News Agency

Creating a new situation -- a new struggle at a new starting point, structuring a new development pattern we should take the first step well and create a new atmosphere.

Cleaving through the waves, China's economic ship sails into new vast sea waters.

The year 2021 is a year of special importance in the course of China's modernization, i.e. the beginning of the 14th Five Year Plan, and a new journey of building a socialist modern country in an all-round way.

But the way forward is by no means a smooth progress. The closer we get to the side of victory, the more severe test we will meet. We will inevitably encounter torrents and dangerous shoals.

Globally, under the effect of combined factors such as unconventional stimulus policies, small data base and vaccine progress, the world economy is expected to see recovery growth next year. However, the great changes unseen in a century has entered a period of accelerated evolution, the situation is still complex, and the various derivative risks caused by the impact of the pandemic cannot be ignored.

Looking around the country, China's economy continues to recover and the situation is getting better. However, there are many uncertainties in the changes of the pandemic situation and the external environment, and the foundation for economic recovery is not solid, and next year's economic growth may show a trend of going high before low. How to keep the economic operation in a reasonable range is a big test.

We should enhance our sense of hardship, strengthen our confidence in victory, and promote sustained economic recovery and high-quality development.

At the Central Economic Work Conference, from a strategic commanding height, General Secretary Xi Jinping's speech, guiding the course, put forward the general requirements and policy orientation for next year's economic work.

Adhering to the general tone of seeking progress while maintaining stability, based on the new development stage, implementing the new development concept, building a new development pattern, taking promotion of high-quality development as the theme, deepening the supply-side structural reform as the main line, taking reform and innovation as the fundamental driving force, and meeting the people's growing needs for a better life as the fundamental purpose

Macro policies should be kept continuous, stable and sustainable. We should continue to implement proactive fiscal policy and prudent monetary policy, maintain the necessary support for economic recovery, make policy operation more accurate and effective, do not make a sharp turn, and command the time and effect of the policy

Building a new pattern of development -- setting a clear direction in the work plan by the Central Economic Work Conference.

"Next year's economic work will focus on building a new pattern of development," General Secretary Xi Jinping made such a clear request at the meeting, "to build a new development pattern, we must take well the first step next year and create the new atmosphere."

On August 25, a Vietnamese student (right) from Guangxi Institute of Foreign Languages conducting a live broadcast at a cross-border e-commerce enterprise live broadcast talents incubation base in Nanning area of Guangxi pilot free trade zone. Since the establishment, China (Guangxi) pilot Free Trade Zone, Guangxi Zhuang Autonomous Region closely around the development goal of building a high standard and high-quality Park leading China-ASEAN open cooperation, has deeply cultivated the "experimental hotbed", effectively stimulated market vitality, promoted industrial sectors to take roots, and injected new momentum into Guangxi's high-quality economic development and expansion of opening up. Photo by Lei Jiaxing, Xinhua News Agency

The meeting proposed to speed up the construction of a new development pattern with domestic circulation as the mainstay and domestic and international circulation promoting each other. It is necessary for us to firmly grasp the main line of supply-side structural reform, pay attention to demand-side management, break through the blocking points, make up for the short board, and connect production, distribution, circulation and consumption together, so as to form a higher level dynamic balance between demand pulling supply and supply creating demand.

Cleaning workers patrol the river during daily care in Zhushan village, Longshanstreet, Changxing County, Zhejiang Province, photo taken by UAV on April 9 by Xu Yu, Xinhua News Agency.

Guided by the construction of a new development pattern, the conference put forward eight key tasks for economic work next year: strengthening the national strategic scientific and technological strength; enhancing the independent and controllable ability of the industrial chain and supply chain; adhering to the strategic basis of expanding domestic demand; comprehensively promoting reform and opening up; solving well the problems of seeds and arable land; strengthening anti-monopoly and preventing the disordered expansion of capital; handling well the prominent housing problems in big cities; handling well the carbon emission peak and carbon neutralization.

The comrades present at the conference believe that Xi Jinping’s speech from a strategic commanding height and profound thinking has clearly pointed out both the direction and the path, has taken the overall situation into consideration and highlighted the key points, and has profoundly expounded a series of directional, fundamental and overall problems.

"Strengthening the national strategic science and technology strength" is placed at the top of the eight major tasks. Previously, scientific and technological innovation is also listed in the first place in the 14th Five Year Plan. In the face of increasingly fierce global competition in science and technology, the meeting stressed the need to give full play to the role of the state as the organizer of major scientific and technological innovations, adhered to the strategic demand orientation, determined the direction and focus of scientific and technological innovation, strived to solve major bottle necks restricting national development and security, and grasped the two key points of talent and mechanism.

The security and stability of industrial chain and supply chain is the foundation of building a new development pattern. The conference proposed to carry out well the key and core technology projects, to solve a number of "bottle neck" problems as soon as possible, to make intensive efforts in the advantageous industrial areas, and to develop more unique skills to make up for the short plate and forging the long plate, and to implement accurate strategies.

At Jiujiufeng family farm, Yilaxi Town, Yongji County, Jilin City, Jilin Province, workers tested the appearance of a batch of trial-growing rice in the laboratory, photo taken on August 12 by reporter Xu Chang, Xinhua News Agency.

The issues of seeds and cultivated land have received unprecedented attention. From the strategic point of view of ensuring food security, the conference stressed the need to carry out technology research for the seed source "bottle neck", determined to fight a seed battle for industrial turnaround. We must firmly hold the red line of 1.8 billion mu of cultivated land, resolutely curb the "non-agriculturalization" of cultivated land, prevent the "non-food production" on cultivated land, and standardize the balance between the occupation and compensation of cultivated land.

On December 11, workers work in a smart greenhouse in a modern agricultural demonstration park, Jiasong Town, Nanhe County, Hebei Province, Photo by reporter Zhu Xudong, Xinhua News Agency

"Strengthening anti-monopoly and preventing disorderly expansion of capital" is a long-term and widely concerned issue. The conference clearly pointed out that anti-monopoly and anti-unfair competition are inherent requirements for improving the socialist market economic system and promoting high-quality development. It emphasizes the need to support the industrial innovative development growth, upgrade international competitiveness, but also strengthen regulation, enhance regulatory capacity, and resolutely oppose monopoly and unfair competition.

Visitors visit the special exhibition area of 5g communication services at China International Fair for Trade in Services 2020，photo taken on September 7 by reporter Lu Peng, Xinhua News Agency

Solving well prominent housing problems in big cities is related to people's well-being. The meeting emphasized the policy orientation of "housing without speculation" and pointed out clearly that we should "accelerate the improvement of long-term rental housing policy, gradually ensure rental housing’s equal rights with commercial housing in enjoying public services, and standardize the development of long-term rental housing market", and adhere to the strategic basis of expanding domestic demand, comprehensively promoting reform and opening up, and handling well the carbon emission peak and carbon neutralization.

This is the blade of a large wind turbine in a wind power facility production enterprise in Weixian County, Hebei Province. Photo taken by UAV on December 8 by Mou Yu, Xinhua News Agency.

This series of key tasks focus on problem orientation and goal orientation, and effectively respond to social concerns.

In the group discussions, the comrades attending the meeting spoke enthusiastically about the important speech and planned tasks by General Secretary Xi Jinping, and discussed how to carry out the key tasks of next year's economic work from their respective professional perspectives in a lively atmosphere.

Comrades present at the conference said that General Secretary Xi Jinping's important speech reflected the scientific command of the complex situation, the profound insight into the development law, the precise planning of the development goals, and provided the fundamental path for the overall promotion of high quality development, and clearly pointed out the orientation for structuring the new development pattern for the coming year 2021.

The mainstay -- unite as one, coordinate in steps, strengthen the CPCs overall leadership over economic work, work hard and solidly, and implement various decisions and arrangements in all aspects of economic work

What should we rely on to cope with the storm and forge ahead?

The CPC leadership is the fundamental guarantee for the Party and the State to do a good job in all aspects of work, and is the "tranquilizing magic" to overcome all difficulties and risks.

General Secretary Xi Jinping stressed at this meeting that to adapt to the new development stage, implement the new development concept and build a new development pattern, we must strengthen the CPC's overall leadership, uphold and improve its leading mechanism for economic and social development and maintain the whole Party in coordination.

To do a good job in economic work is a major task for the CPC to run the country.

"The CPC leadership is rock-firm in the surging waves," "behind the extraordinary achievements lies the joint efforts of the people of the whole country, and the formation of strong combat effectiveness under the leadership of the CPC", and "comprehensive demonstration of the significant advantages of China’s governance". During the conference, strengthening the CPC’s overall leadership over economic work has become the consensus of group discussions.

Looking forward to the 14th Five Year Plan and the Second Centennial Goal, we need to continue to forge ahead. The more complex the situation is and the more arduous the task is, the more inseparable it is from the CPC -- the compass guiding the direction and the backbone of cohesion -- and the more necessary it is to uphold and strengthen the CPC's overall leadership.

The 5th Plenary Session of the 19th CPC Central Committee stressed that to realize the 14th Five Year Plan and the long-term goal of 2035, we must adhere to the CPC's overall leadership, fully mobilize all positive factors, widely unite all forces that can be united, and form a strong synergy to promote development.

To strengthen the CPC's overall leadership over economic work, we should enhance our political awareness and improve our political standing.

The Central Economic Work Conference stressed that we should "attach importance to doing economic work from the political perspective", "be good at observing and analyzing economic and social problems from the political perspective", "improve political sensitivity and differentiation, and be good at discovering the political consequences of an economic activity".

One point for planning, nine points for compliance. As for the decision and plan by the CPC Central Committee, we should pay close attention to the implementation, can't just shout slogans without compliance, let alone formalism and bureaucracy. Necessary supervision and inspection should be carried out on the implementation of the decision and plan of the CPC Central Committee, but the relevant work should be standardized and practically effective.

On December 18, workers working in the production workshop of Xinxing Special Pipe Co., Ltd. in Jinan new district, Handan City, Hebei Province. Photo by Wang Xiao, Xinhua News Agency

To strengthen the CPC's overall leadership over economic work, we should improve our professional ability and strive to become an expert in building a new development pattern--The CPC will prosper when talents gather around it. The speed of scientific and technological change is very fast, and the complexity of economic and social activities is on the rise in an all-round way. If we do not grasp the trend of scientific and technological progress, do not understand the situation in emerging fields, and do not learn the changes in the expectations and demands of the masses, we will neither be unable to control the economic work nor lead the modernization drive.

To strengthen the CPC's overall leadership over economic work, we should do a good job in issues of development and security--Starting a new journey, China's development has entered a period of frequent risks, with various contradictions and problems intertwined. It is necessary to heighten the vigilance of security changes.

Workers work in a nursery greenhouse in a seedling industrial base, Quzhou County, Hebei Province. Quzhoucounty actively broadens the channels of industrial poverty alleviation, gives full play to the local industrial advantages, and coordinates the poor households to use poverty alleviation funds to invest in the modern facility agricultural base, helps the poor households relieve of poverty and increase their income, photo taken on May 4 by reporter Zhu Xudong, Xinhua News Agency.

In the face of the new challenges on the way forward, CPC committees and governments at all levels should constantly learn the general situation and think from the perspective of the overall situation, adhere to the bottom line thinking, enhance the sense of hardship, make ideological and work preparations for "launching a sail against the storm weather", take an offensive move and make initiative efforts. We should strictly guard against the "grey rhinoceros" and "black swan" incidents in some key areas, and build a "bastion of iron" to prevent and resolve all kinds of potential risks.

At the end of the year 2020 and the beginning of the next year 2021, we should seize the time to carry out various work. The prevention and control of the pandemic situation should not be relaxed, we should pay close attention to the work of "prevention of import case externally and prevention of rebound case domestically", resolutely guarantee that there is no large-scale pandemic import and rebound; we should arrange the market supply for the two festivals of the Chinese people, ensure the basic people's livelihood, and take care of the difficult groups.

To manage well in China, the key lies in the CPC and the people.

The bugle for the new journey is sounded. The task of economic work for next year is very heavy. The whole Party must unite closely around the CPC Central Committee with Comrade Xi Jinping at the core, coagulate the great power of the 1.4 billion Chinese people, and welcome the CPC 100th anniversary with excellent Achievements, and make unremitting efforts to realize the Chinese dream of building a socialist modern country and the great rejuvenation of the Chinese nation.

(Edited excerpts of the article in People’s Daily 20 December 2020)