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| Pix Credit here (1956, "Today's Soviet Union is Our Tomorrow") |
Times change; so do the general contradictions that frame the realities of political-economic systems. . . at least those political-economic systems with a strong desire to survive.
The advantages of the socialist system with Chinese characteristics, the advantages of a super-large market, the advantages of a complete industrial system, and the advantages of abundant talent resources together constitute the strong foundation and solid support for Chinese development during the 15th Five-Year Plan period. These four advantages are closely interconnected and mutually reinforcing, forming an organic whole, which will enable China to gain strategic initiative in a complex and ever-changing international environment and inject strong impetus into achieving the grand goal of socialist modernization. 中国特色社会主义制度优势、超大规模市场优势、完整产业体系优势、丰富人才资源优势，共同构成了“十五五”时期我国发展的强大底气和坚实支撑。四大优势紧密相连、相互促进，形成一个有机整体，将为我国在复杂多变的国际环境中赢得战略主动，为实现社会主义现代化建设的宏伟目标注入强大动力。(Commentary [要论], 深刻理解“十五五”时期我国经济社会发展优势更加彰显 /张占斌 [A Deeper Understanding of the Increasingly Prominent Advantages of China's Economic and Social Development During the 15th Five-Year Plan Period / Zhang Zhanbin].)
And so it is with that great engine of Leninist Marxism applied to a population that must be guided scientifically by its vanguard of leading forces toward the inevitable establishment of a communist society but faster through the equally inevitable historical stages of development in which, in the case of China in the 1940s, the nation lagged its advanced capitalist peers. The initial model was Soviet, what Stalin had wrested from the ideological ideas of Lenin and Trotsky (the later a name that could not be uttered in polite Leninist society not just form the moment of Trotsky's exile in the 1920s but most definitively from the time of his apotheosis into the firmament of Leninist Gods by Stalin's hammer blows in Mexico in 1940); the ideological model German encrusted with the bar5nacles of the Soviet mind and in that form bequeathed to China's vanguard from the 1920s.
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| Pix credit here |
To those ends scientific approaches were necessary. Because time has a way of changing everything, and because forward movement itself was both change and its catalyst, such planning was required to be undertaken in temporal segments. Among the most important were the 5 year planning cycles that were meant to serve as the expression of the dialectics between realization, manifestation, and theorization of the Leninist project of this forward movement in concrete terms. It was, in effect, the carrot dangling before the donkey held by the driver that represented the cart of productive forces now moving along the proper path at the proper speed and toward the proper ends.
And so the Five year plans have become the great clock and timer of socialist modernization, and with it the means of measuring progress along the Socialist Path toward Communism. And with that, of course, a means of measuring the effectiveness of the Communist Party's fundamental line as applied in any fice year cycle, and with that (phew) the means for assessing the forward movement of the Communist Party itself as the model, not just a vanguard, but the incarnation of the sort of working style and productive modes toward which the nation ought to aspire. Each five year plan, then, becomes an important assessment and policy element of each cycle of the Congresses of the Communist Party of China.
The 4th Plenum of the Central Committee of the 20th CPC Congress was one such node in this sequence of planning. Like others in these cycles, it incorporated the policy and theoretical bases for approaching modernization in each nodal stage of historical development produced in the 3rd Plenum (traditionally focusing in the applied theory of modernization) and turned that work product into working documents focusing on application--via governance, rule of law, and party building, which could then be implemented in more precisely measurable ways by cadres and patriots across the nation.
In his 深刻理解“十五五”时期我国经济社会发展优势更加彰显 [A Deeper Understanding of the Even More Prominent Advantages of China's Economic and Social Development During the 15th Five-Year Plan Period] (Red Flag Journal, 2025/23), Zhang Zhanbin [张占斌 ] elaborated these old notions its new form wrapped around the concept of the 四大优势 [Four Major Advantages] . "Achieving socialist modernization is a step-by-step, continuously developing historical process. The 15th Five-Year Plan period holds a crucial position in the process of basically achieving socialist modernization, serving as a critical period for consolidating foundations and making comprehensive efforts." [实现社会主义现代化是一个阶梯式递进、不断发展进步的历史过程。“十五五”时期在基本实现社会主义现代化进程中具有承前启后的重要地位，是夯实基础、全面发力的关键时期，] [ 深刻理解“十五五”时期我国经济社会发展优势更加彰显 ].
Underlying this structure, and supporting the contemporary forms of socialist modernization are the advantages that China enjoys. These constitute the 四大优势 [Four Major Advantages]:
长期向好的支撑条件和基本趋势没有变，中国特色社会主义制度优势、超大规模市场优势、完整产业体系优势、丰富人才资源优势更加彰显。这四大优势，是我国在长期发展过程中积累的宝贵财富，是应对外部挑战、实现内部发展的底气所在，更是推动我国经济社会持续健康发展、实现社会主义现代化的关键支撑。[ 深刻理解“十五五”时期我国经济社会发展优势更加彰显 ]. [The underlying conditions and fundamental trends supporting long-term positive development remain unchanged. The advantages of the socialist system with Chinese characteristics, the advantages of a super-large market, the advantages of a complete industrial system, and the advantages of abundant human resources are becoming even more prominent. These four advantages are valuable assets accumulated during China's long-term development, the source of confidence in responding to external challenges and achieving internal development, and crucial support for promoting the sustained and healthy development of China's economy and society and realizing socialist modernization.]
On that basis the follow seamlessly, and reflexively:
1. The Advantages of the Socialist System with Chinese Characteristics: A Solid Cornerstone for National Stability and Prosperity. The socialist system with Chinese characteristics is a scientific system formed through the arduous exploration of the Communist Party of China leading the Chinese people in long-term revolutionary, construction, and reform practices. [一、中国特色社会主义制度优势是定国安邦的坚固基石. 中国特色社会主义制度，是中国共产党带领中国人民在长期革命、建设与改革实践中艰辛探索形成的科学制度体系]
2. The advantage of a super-large market is a powerful engine driving domestic demand. It acts as a "booster" for the dynamic balance of supply and demand. China's super-large market advantage has become a key force in promoting healthy interaction between supply and demand. [二、超大规模市场优势是内需驱动的强大引擎. 供需动态平衡的“助推器”。我国超大规模市场优势成为促进供需良性互动的关键力量。]
3. The Advantage of a Complete Industrial System: Building a Solid Foundation for the Real Economy. The "accelerator" of cost and innovation synergy. China's complete industrial system demonstrates strong cost control and collaborative innovation capabilities in the manufacturing of complex products. For example, the production of new energy vehicles involves multiple key systems such as batteries, motors, and electronic controls, as well as the supply of numerous components and raw materials. [三、完整产业体系优势筑牢实体经济的坚实底盘. 成本与创新协同的“加速器”。我国完整的产业体系在复杂产品制造中展现出强大的成本控制与创新协同能力。比如，新能源汽车的生产涉及电池、电机、电控等多个关键系统，以及众多零部件和原材料的供应]
4. Abundant Talent Resources Constitute the Core Driving Force of Innovation. A "vanguard" for scientific and technological self-reliance and self-improvement. China's abundant talent resources play a pivotal role in the process of achieving scientific and technological self-reliance and self-improvement. [丰富人才资源优势构成创新驱动的核心动力. 科技自立自强的“先锋队”。我国丰富的人才资源在科技自立自强进程中发挥着中流砥柱的作用。] [ 深刻理解“十五五”时期我国经济社会发展优势更加彰显 ].
What then are the four advantages? Ideological clarity, large unified market, integrated and self-contained supply chains, and self-perpetuating vanguard talent. And this loops back on itself: vanguard talent makes possible the development and operation integrated suppl chains, that enhance market power within a single territorial unit, that then strengthens ideological clarity from practice.
The essay follows below in its original Chinese and in an English translation.
深刻理解“十五五”时期我国经济社会发展优势更加彰显
来源：《红旗文稿》2025/23 作者：张占斌 2025-12-15 16:24:37
实现社会主义现代化是一个阶梯式递进、不断发展进步的历史过程。“十五五”时期在基本实现社会主义现代化进程中具有承前启后的重要地位，是夯实基础、全面发力的关键时期，要推动事关中国式现代化全局的战略任务取得重大突破，为基本实现社会主义现代化奠定更加坚实的基础。这一时期，世界局势复杂多变，百年未有之大变局加速演进，国际政治经济格局深度调整，单边主义、保护主义甚嚣尘上，全球合作面临重重阻碍；与此同时，新一轮科技革命和产业变革风起云涌，大数据、人工智能、生物技术等前沿技术的突破，正在重塑全球经济版图和竞争格局。在如此复杂的时代背景下，我国发展既面临着前所未有的战略机遇，也遭遇诸多难以预料的风险挑战。在这一关键历史节点，党的二十届四中全会高瞻远瞩，审议通过的《中共中央关于制定国民经济和社会发展第十五个五年规划的建议》明确指出，我国经济基础稳、优势多、韧性强、潜能大，长期向好的支撑条件和基本趋势没有变，中国特色社会主义制度优势、超大规模市场优势、完整产业体系优势、丰富人才资源优势更加彰显。这四大优势，是我国在长期发展过程中积累的宝贵财富，是应对外部挑战、实现内部发展的底气所在，更是推动我国经济社会持续健康发展、实现社会主义现代化的关键支撑。
一、中国特色社会主义制度优势是定国安邦的坚固基石
中国特色社会主义制度，是中国共产党带领中国人民在长期革命、建设与改革实践中艰辛探索形成的科学制度体系，其优势集中体现在三个关键维度：坚持中国共产党的领导这一根本政治保证、集中力量办大事的独特治理效能、有效市场和有为政府相结合的体制机制活力。“十五五”时期，这一制度优势将全方位转化为强大的国家治理效能和稳固的发展预期，为经济社会高质量发展筑牢根基。
从实践成果来看，“十四五”时期我国经济社会发展的亮眼答卷，正是中国特色社会主义制度优势的生动印证。在党中央集中统一领导下，国家发展战略始终保持连续性与稳定性，避免了多党制下政策“翻烧饼”的弊端。以经济总量为例，我国国内生产总值（GDP）从2020年的103.5万亿元稳步增长至 2024年的134.9万亿元，年均实际增长5.5%，远超同期世界3.9%的年均增速。C919大飞机的研发历程，更凸显了集中力量办大事的制度优势：从立项到商业飞行的十余年间，党和国家从战略高度布局航空产业，打破部门、区域、企业壁垒，形成“全国一盘棋”的攻关格局，突破了气动布局、航电系统等100多项关键核心技术，最终实现从一张图纸到翱翔蓝天的跨越。有效市场和有为政府相结合的体制机制，为经济活力的释放提供了保障。政府既通过“放管服”为各类经营主体营造公平竞争环境，又通过精准的宏观调控弥补市场失灵。这种“看得见的手”和“看不见的手”协同发力的模式，让我国在保持战略定力的同时，充分激发了经营主体的创新活力，成为经济韧性强的重要来源。
实践证明，中国特色社会主义制度优势是我国应对风险挑战、实现高质量发展的“定盘星”，将为我国发展提供稳定的制度环境与持久动力。“十五五”时期，我们必须坚持和加强党中央集中统一领导，在关键时刻、重要节点，能够及时研判形势、作出科学部署，确保党的路线方针政策上下贯通、执行有力，保证党带领人民朝着既定目标接续奋斗；坚持用党的创新理论为重大决策提供科学指引，保证经济社会发展政策措施更加符合客观规律；引导各级领导干部、基层党组织和广大党员为推动发展、深化改革、维护稳定发挥示范带头、战斗堡垒、先锋模范作用，充分调动全社会投身中国式现代化建设的积极性主动性创造性，为推进中国式现代化凝聚磅礴力量。将集中力量办大事这一优势聚焦于关键领域，发挥新型举国体制优势，统筹国家战略科技力量对关键核心技术和基础前沿研究开展集中攻关、加快实现新突破，等等。既充分发挥市场在资源配置中的决定性作用，又更好发挥政府作用，形成既“放得活”又“管得好”的经济秩序，通过进一步全面深化改革，为经济社会发展添动力、增活力，提供坚强制度保障。
二、超大规模市场优势是内需驱动的强大引擎
供需动态平衡的“助推器”。我国超大规模市场优势成为促进供需良性互动的关键力量。近年来，我国新能源汽车市场的蓬勃发展便是这一优势的生动体现。2024年，我国新能源汽车市场规模突破1100万辆，同比增长38% 。如此庞大的市场需求，极大地激发了企业的创新活力和生产积极性。数字技术的快速发展，催生了众多新的消费场景和模式，如直播电商、社交电商、在线教育、远程医疗等。这些新兴的数字消费业态，不仅丰富了消费者的选择，也为企业创造了新的发展机遇。这种需求牵引供给、供给创造需求的动态平衡机制，使得我国市场供给能够不断适应消费需求的变化，推动产业的升级和创新。“十五五”时期，随着居民收入的稳定增长和消费结构的持续升级，超大规模市场优势将进一步凸显，为供需动态平衡提供强大内生动力。
经济韧性的“稳定器”。超大规模市场优势为我国经济提供了强大的韧性和回旋余地，使其在面对外部冲击时能够保持稳定。近年来，面对贸易摩擦冲击，许多企业通过开拓国内市场，成功实现了转型和发展。例如，广东某家电企业，原本主要依赖出口业务，在中美经贸摩擦加剧后，其出口业务受到严重影响，订单量大幅下降。该企业迅速调整战略，通过与国内电商平台合作，逐渐打开国内市场，实现了销售额的稳步增长。这一案例充分说明，我国超大规模的国内市场给我国经济发展带来显著的规模经济优势、创新发展优势和抗冲击能力优势，能够为企业提供广阔的发展空间，在外部需求收缩时，成为企业维持生存和发展的重要依托。“十五五”时期，单边主义、保护主义仍可能对全球经济和贸易秩序造成冲击，我国超大规模市场优势将在稳定经济、应对外部风险挑战方面发挥更为关键的作用。通过建设全国统一大市场，促进区域联动发展，破除地方保护和区域壁垒，加快商品要素资源在更大范围内畅通流动，将使我国经济的韧性和抗冲击能力得到进一步提升。
国际合作的“强磁石”。我国超大规模市场对全球资源要素具有强大吸引力，是推动国际合作的重要力量。每年举办的中国国际进口博览会和中国国际消费品博览会，已成为全球企业展示优质产品和服务、拓展中国市场的重要平台。这些国际展会的成功举办，不仅为中国消费者带来更多优质的商品和服务选择，也为各国企业提供了与中国市场深度合作的机会，促进了全球贸易和投资的增长。众多外资企业在中国市场取得显著发展成果，离不开中国庞大的市场需求和完善的产业配套。“十五五”时期，随着我国高水平对外开放的持续推进，超大规模市场优势将进一步增强我国在国际合作中的吸引力和影响力，促进全球资源的优化配置，推动形成更加开放、包容、均衡、普惠的全球经济格局。
三、完整产业体系优势筑牢实体经济的坚实底盘
成本与创新协同的“加速器”。我国完整的产业体系在复杂产品制造中展现出强大的成本控制与创新协同能力。比如，新能源汽车的生产涉及电池、电机、电控等多个关键系统，以及众多零部件和原材料的供应。在我国，从上游的锂、钴等关键矿产资源的开采与提炼，到中游电池、电机等核心部件的制造，再到下游整车的组装，形成完整且高效的产业链。一些整车企业在设计、研发、生产过程中，与上下游企业紧密协同，实现了技术创新与产品优化的高效互动。再看电子信息产业，以智能手机的生产为例，我国拥有全球最完整的电子信息产业链。从芯片设计与制造、显示屏生产，到手机外壳加工、整机组装等环节，都能在国内找到大量优质供应商。同时，这些企业通过与国内科研机构、高校合作，以及自身的研发投入，不断推动技术创新。“十五五”时期，随着产业基础高级化和产业链现代化的推进，我国完整产业体系的成本与创新协同优势将进一步凸显。通过加大对基础零部件、核心软件、关键材料、先进工艺等领域的研发投入，补齐产业链短板，提升产业整体竞争力，实现从产业规模优势向产业质量优势的转变。
产业链安全的“守护者”。我国完整的产业体系在维护产业链供应链安全方面发挥着至关重要的作用，是保障国家经济安全的坚固屏障。在应对“卡脖子”技术挑战方面，完整产业体系同样发挥了关键作用。以半导体产业为例，虽然我国在高端芯片制造领域面临技术瓶颈，但凭借完整的产业生态，在芯片设计、封装测试等环节取得显著进展。比如，华为旗下的海思半导体，在芯片设计领域不断创新，推出多款高性能芯片，达到国际先进水平，为华为产品竞争力提供了有力支撑。这些事例表明，我国完整的产业体系能够在关键时刻保障物资供应，应对外部技术封锁，保持产业链供应链的稳定。“十五五”时期，面对错综复杂的国际形势，我国将继续实施制造业重点产业链供应链安全可靠性提升工程，加强战略设计和精准施策，打造自主可控、安全可靠、竞争力强的现代化产业体系，为国家经济安全提供更加坚实的保障。
新兴产业的“孵化器”。我国完整的产业体系为战略性新兴产业和未来产业的发展提供了肥沃的土壤，是孕育新产业、新模式、新动能的重要源泉。以人工智能产业为例，其发展离不开多技术、多产业的跨界融合，而我国完整的产业体系能够为其提供全方位的支撑。在人工智能的基础层，我国拥有强大的算力基础设施和丰富的数据资源。在技术层，我国在人工智能算法、机器学习、自然语言处理等领域取得显著进展。在应用层，我国完整的产业体系为人工智能提供了广阔的应用场景。在制造业领域，人工智能技术被广泛应用于生产过程的优化、质量检测、设备维护等方面，提高了生产效率和产品质量。“十五五”时期，随着新一轮科技革命和产业变革的深入发展，我国完整产业体系在新兴产业培育方面的优势将进一步发挥。通过加强产业协同创新、拓展产业发展空间、释放产业发展潜能，将为人工智能、生物制造、商业航天、低空经济、量子科技等前沿领域的发展提供更加坚实的支撑，推动我国在全球新兴产业竞争中占据领先地位。
四、丰富人才资源优势构成创新驱动的核心动力
科技自立自强的“先锋队”。我国丰富的人才资源在科技自立自强进程中发挥着中流砥柱的作用。“十四五”以来，我国科技事业取得历史性成就、发生历史性变革，这背后是研发人员总量居世界第一的人才支撑。2024年，我国高被引科学家达到1405人次，比2021年增长了50%，占全世界的五分之一。从人才培养来看，我国已构筑起世界最大规模的高等教育体系，2024年高等教育在学总规模达4846万人。我国高校每年培养超500万名科学、技术、工程等专业毕业生，居全球首位。在关键核心技术领域，我国拥有一批战略科技人才、一流科技领军人才和创新团队。在芯片领域，中芯国际的研发团队成功攻克了14纳米的工艺技术，实现了量产，使我国在芯片制造技术上取得重大突破，缩短了与国际先进水平的差距。“十五五”时期，为进一步激发人才在科技攻关中的创新活力，我国将实施更加积极的人才政策。加大对基础研究人才的培养和支持力度，设立专项科研基金，鼓励人才开展前沿科学研究；完善人才评价机制，更加注重科研成果的质量和实际应用价值，减少对论文数量等指标的过度依赖；加强国际人才交流与合作，吸引海外优秀理工科人才回国创新创业，为科技自立自强汇聚全球智慧和力量。
产业升级的“主力军”。以传统产业的数字化、绿色化改造为例，大量掌握现代科技知识和技能的人才积极投身其中，为传统产业的转型升级注入了新的活力。在钢铁行业，宝武集团积极推进数字化转型，通过引入大数据、人工智能等先进技术，实现了生产过程的智能化控制和优化。在这一过程中，宝武集团的技术人才团队发挥了重要作用。他们开发了智能炼钢系统，利用传感器实时采集生产数据，通过数据分析和算法模型，实现对炼钢过程中温度、成分、压力等参数的精准控制，提高钢材质量和生产效率，降低能源消耗和环境污染。“十五五”时期，为了推动“人口红利”向“人才红利”深度转变，我国将持续优化人力资源结构，加强职业技能培训和继续教育。实施大规模职业技能提升行动，针对不同行业和岗位需求，开展精准化的技能培训，提高劳动者的职业技能水平；加强高等教育与产业需求的对接，优化学科专业设置，培养更多适应新兴产业发展需求的高素质人才；弘扬劳模精神、劳动精神、工匠精神，营造尊重劳动、崇尚技能的社会氛围，激发劳动者提升技能的积极性主动性。
市场开拓的“领航者”。企业家作为市场开拓的核心力量，在推动经济发展和创新中扮演着领航者的角色。为了激发企业家的创新活力和创业热情，我国将持续营造市场化、法治化、国际化一流营商环境。深化“放管服”改革，简化行政审批流程，提高政务服务效率，降低企业制度性交易成本；加强知识产权保护，严厉打击侵权行为，为企业创新提供法律保障；完善政策支持体系，加大对中小企业的扶持力度，鼓励企业开展技术创新和市场开拓；弘扬企业家精神，树立优秀企业家榜样，营造尊重企业家、支持企业家发展的良好社会氛围。“十五五”时期，企业家将勇立潮头，继续做创新发展的探索者、组织者、引领者，推动生产组织创新、技术创新、市场创新，以优质产品和服务赢得市场竞争主动，为我国经济社会发展作出新的更大贡献。
五、四大优势协同共进开创中国式现代化新局面
中国特色社会主义制度优势、超大规模市场优势、完整产业体系优势、丰富人才资源优势，共同构成了“十五五”时期我国发展的强大底气和坚实支撑。四大优势紧密相连、相互促进，形成一个有机整体，将为我国在复杂多变的国际环境中赢得战略主动，为实现社会主义现代化建设的宏伟目标注入强大动力。
中国特色社会主义制度优势是其他三大优势得以充分发挥的根本保障。党的集中统一领导确保了国家发展战略的稳定性与连贯性，为超大规模市场优势的释放提供政策引导和制度环境。在制度优势的保障下，国家能够通过宏观调控，引导资源向新兴产业和关键领域汇聚，激发经营主体的活力，促进超大规模市场的繁荣发展。超大规模市场优势为完整产业体系优势的发挥提供广阔的空间和强大的动力。庞大的市场需求吸引着各类企业投身其中，促进产业的集聚和发展，形成完整的产业体系。同时，市场的竞争压力也促使企业不断创新，提高产品质量和生产效率，推动产业升级。完整产业体系优势是丰富人才资源优势得以充分体现的物质基础。完备的产业体系为各类人才提供广阔的发展空间和实践平台，吸引着人才汇聚。人才在产业发展中发挥关键作用，推动产业的技术创新和升级。丰富人才资源优势则是推动中国特色社会主义制度不断完善、超大规模市场持续繁荣、完整产业体系优化升级的核心动力，将为经济社会发展源源不断注入创造动能。
我们要倍加珍惜这四大优势，充分发挥它们的协同效应。在党的坚强领导下，持续完善中国特色社会主义制度，为经济社会发展提供更加坚实的制度保障；进一步挖掘超大规模市场的潜力，激发内需活力，推动形成以国内大循环为主体、国内国际双循环相互促进的新发展格局；巩固和提升完整产业体系，加快产业升级和创新发展，增强产业链供应链韧性和安全水平；加大人才培养和引进力度，营造良好的人才发展环境，让各类人才的创造活力竞相迸发、聪明才智充分涌流。只要持续增强这四大优势，就一定能够有效应对前进道路上的各种风险挑战，牢牢把握历史主动，在世界百年变局中开辟发展新境界，书写中国式现代化建设新篇章。
（作者：中央党校﹝国家行政学院﹞中国式现代化研究中心主任、国家一级教授）
责任编辑：马 丽
A Deeper Understanding of the Even More Prominent Advantages of China's Economic and Social Development During the 15th Five-Year Plan Period
Source: Red Flag [Revolutionary Banner] Journal, 2025/23 Author: Zhang Zhanbin 2025-12-15 16:24:37
Achieving socialist modernization is a step-by-step, continuously developing historical process. The 15th Five-Year Plan period holds a crucial position in the process of basically achieving socialist modernization, serving as a critical period for consolidating foundations and making comprehensive efforts. It is essential to promote major breakthroughs in strategic tasks concerning the overall picture of Chinese modernization, laying a more solid foundation for the basic realization of socialist modernization. During this period, the world situation is complex and volatile, the profound changes unseen in a century are accelerating, the international political and economic landscape is undergoing deep adjustments, unilateralism and protectionism are rampant, and global cooperation faces numerous obstacles. At the same time, a new round of scientific and technological revolution and industrial transformation is surging forward, and breakthroughs in cutting-edge technologies such as big data, artificial intelligence, and biotechnology are reshaping the global economic landscape and competitive environment. Against this complex historical backdrop, Chinese development faces both unprecedented strategic opportunities and numerous unpredictable risks and challenges. At this critical historical juncture, the Fourth Plenary Session of the 20th Central Committee of the Communist Party of China, with its far-sighted vision, reviewed and adopted the "Suggestions of the Central Committee of the Communist Party of China on Formulating the 15th Five-Year Plan for National Economic and Social Development," which clearly pointed out that China's economic foundation is stable, its advantages are numerous, its resilience is strong, and its potential is great. The supporting conditions and fundamental trends for long-term positive development remain unchanged, and the advantages of the socialist system with Chinese characteristics, the advantages of a super-large market, the advantages of a complete industrial system, and the advantages of abundant talent resources are becoming even more prominent. These four advantages are the valuable assets accumulated by China in its long-term development process, the source of confidence in responding to external challenges and achieving internal development, and the key support for promoting the sustained and healthy development of China's economy and society and achieving socialist modernization.
I. The Advantages of the Socialist System with Chinese Characteristics: A Solid Cornerstone for National Stability and Prosperity
The socialist system with Chinese characteristics is a scientific system formed through the arduous exploration of the Communist Party of China leading the Chinese people in long-term revolutionary, construction, and reform practices. Its advantages are concentrated in three key dimensions: the fundamental political guarantee of adhering to the leadership of the Communist Party of China, the unique governance efficiency of concentrating resources on major undertakings, and the vitality of the system and mechanisms combining an effective market and a capable government. During the 15th Five-Year Plan period, this institutional advantage will be comprehensively transformed into powerful national governance effectiveness and stable development expectations, laying a solid foundation for high-quality economic and social development.
From the perspective of practical achievements, the impressive performance of China's economic and social development during the 14th Five-Year Plan period is a vivid testament to the advantages of the socialist system with Chinese characteristics. Under the centralized and unified leadership of the CPC Central Committee, national development strategies have consistently maintained continuity and stability, avoiding the drawbacks of policy reversals inherent in multi-party systems. Taking economic aggregate as an example, Chinese GDP steadily increased from 103.5 trillion yuan in 2020 to 134.9 trillion yuan in 2024, with an average annual real growth rate of 5.5%, far exceeding the world's average annual growth rate of 3.9% during the same period. The development process of the C919 large aircraft further highlights the institutional advantage of concentrating resources on major undertakings: in the more than ten years from project initiation to commercial flight, the Party and the state strategically planned the aviation industry from a high level, breaking down departmental, regional, and enterprise barriers, forming a "nationwide coordinated" approach to tackling key challenges, and breaking through more than 100 key core technologies such as aerodynamic layout and avionics systems, ultimately achieving the leap from a blueprint to soaring in the sky. The system combining an effective market and a capable government provides a guarantee for the release of economic vitality. The government not only creates a fair competitive environment for various business entities through streamlining administration, delegating power, and improving services, but also compensates for market failures through precise macroeconomic regulation. This model of coordinated efforts between the "visible hand" and the "invisible hand" allows China to maintain strategic focus while fully stimulating the innovative vitality of business entities, becoming an important source of economic resilience.
Practice has proven that the advantages of the socialist system with Chinese characteristics are the guiding force for China to cope with risks and challenges and achieve high-quality development, providing a stable institutional environment and lasting impetus for China's development. During the 15th Five-Year Plan period, we must uphold and strengthen the centralized and unified leadership of the Party Central Committee, ensuring that at critical moments and important junctures, we can promptly assess the situation and make scientific deployments to guarantee that the Party's lines, principles, and policies are implemented effectively from top to bottom, and that the Party leads the people in striving continuously towards the established goals; we must adhere to using the Party's innovative theories to provide scientific guidance for major decisions, ensuring that economic and social development policies and measures are more in line with objective laws; we must guide leading cadres at all levels, grassroots Party organizations, and the vast number of Party members to play a leading, exemplary, and pioneering role in promoting development, deepening reforms, and maintaining stability, fully mobilizing the enthusiasm, initiative, and creativity of the entire society in building Chinese modernization, and consolidating immense strength for advancing Chinese modernization. We will focus the advantage of concentrating resources on major undertakings in key areas, leverage the advantages of the new national system, and coordinate national strategic scientific and technological forces to conduct concentrated research on key core technologies and basic frontier research, accelerating new breakthroughs, and so on. We will both give full play to the decisive role of the market in resource allocation and better leverage the role of the government, forming an economic order that is both "flexible" and "well-regulated," and providing strong institutional guarantees for economic and social development by further comprehensively deepening reforms, adding impetus and vitality to development.
II. The Advantage of a Super-Large Market is a Powerful Engine for Domestic Demand-Driven Growth
A "booster" for the dynamic balance of supply and demand. China's super-large market advantage has become a key force in promoting a virtuous interaction between supply and demand. The booming development of China's new energy vehicle market in recent years is a vivid manifestation of this advantage. In 2024, the size of China's new energy vehicle market exceeded 11 million units, a year-on-year increase of 38%. Such a huge market demand has greatly stimulated the innovation vitality and production enthusiasm of enterprises. The rapid development of digital technology has given rise to numerous new consumption scenarios and models, such as live-streaming e-commerce, social e-commerce, online education, and telemedicine. These emerging digital consumption formats have not only enriched consumer choices but also created new development opportunities for enterprises. This dynamic balance mechanism of demand driving supply and supply creating demand enables China's market supply to continuously adapt to changes in consumer demand, promoting industrial upgrading and innovation. During the 15th Five-Year Plan period, with the stable growth of residents' income and the continuous upgrading of consumption structure, the advantage of a super-large market will be further highlighted, providing strong endogenous动力 for the dynamic balance of supply and demand. The "stabilizer" of economic resilience. China's super-large market advantage provides its economy with strong resilience and room for maneuver, enabling it to maintain stability in the face of external shocks. In recent years, facing the impact of trade frictions, many enterprises have successfully achieved transformation and development by expanding into the domestic market. For example, a home appliance company in Guangdong, which originally relied mainly on export business, was severely affected by the escalation of Sino-US trade frictions, resulting in a significant drop in orders. The company quickly adjusted its strategy, gradually opening up the domestic market through cooperation with domestic e-commerce platforms, and achieved steady sales growth. This case fully demonstrates that China's super-large domestic market brings significant advantages in economies of scale, innovation and development, and resilience to shocks, providing enterprises with ample development space and becoming an important support for enterprises to maintain survival and development when external demand shrinks. During the "15th Five-Year Plan" period, unilateralism and protectionism may still impact the global economic and trade order, and China's super-large market advantage will play an even more crucial role in stabilizing the economy and responding to external risks and challenges. By building a unified national market, promoting coordinated regional development, breaking down local protectionism and regional barriers, and accelerating the smooth flow of goods, factors of production, and resources on a larger scale, China's economic resilience and ability to withstand shocks will be further enhanced.
The "strong magnet" of international cooperation. China's super-large market has a strong attraction for global resources and factors of production, and is an important force driving international cooperation. The China International Import Expo and the China International Consumer Products Expo, held annually, have become important platforms for global enterprises to showcase high-quality products and services and expand into the Chinese market. The successful holding of these international exhibitions not only brings more high-quality goods and services choices to Chinese consumers but also provides opportunities for enterprises from various countries to cooperate deeply with the Chinese market, promoting the growth of global trade and investment. The significant development achievements of many foreign-funded enterprises in the Chinese market are inseparable from China's huge market demand and complete industrial supporting facilities. During the "15th Five-Year Plan" period, with the continuous advancement of China's high-level opening up, the advantage of the super-large market will further enhance CHina's attractiveness and influence in international cooperation, promote the optimal allocation of global resources, and contribute to the formation of a more open, inclusive, balanced, and mutually beneficial global economic pattern.
III. The Advantage of a Complete Industrial System: Building a Solid Foundation for the Real Economy
The "accelerator" of cost and innovation synergy. China's complete industrial system demonstrates strong cost control and collaborative innovation capabilities in the manufacturing of complex products. For example, the production of new energy vehicles involves multiple key systems such as batteries, motors, and electronic controls, as well as the supply of numerous components and raw materials. In China, a complete and efficient industrial chain has been formed, from the upstream mining and refining of key mineral resources such as lithium and cobalt, to the midstream manufacturing of core components such as batteries and motors, and then to the downstream assembly of complete vehicles. Some vehicle manufacturers closely collaborate with upstream and downstream enterprises in the design, research and development, and production processes, achieving efficient interaction between technological innovation and product optimization. Looking at the electronic information industry, taking smartphone production as an example, China possesses the world's most complete electronic information industrial chain. From chip design and manufacturing and display screen production to mobile phone casing processing and complete machine assembly, a large number of high-quality suppliers can be found domestically. At the same time, these enterprises continuously promote technological innovation through cooperation with domestic research institutions and universities, as well as their own R&D investments. During the 15th Five-Year Plan period, with the advancement of industrial base upgrading and industrial chain modernization, the cost and innovation synergy advantages of China's complete industrial system will be further highlighted. By increasing R&D investment in basic components, core software, key materials, and advanced processes, China will address industrial chain shortcomings, enhance overall industrial competitiveness, and achieve a transformation from industrial scale advantage to industrial quality advantage.
The "guardian" of industrial chain security. CHina's complete industrial system plays a crucial role in maintaining the security of industrial and supply chains, serving as a solid barrier to safeguard national economic security. The complete industrial system also plays a key role in addressing "bottleneck" technological challenges. Taking the semiconductor industry as an example, although China faces technological bottlenecks in high-end chip manufacturing, it has made significant progress in chip design, packaging, and testing thanks to its complete industrial ecosystem. For example, Huawei's HiSilicon Semiconductor has continuously innovated in the field of chip design, launching several high-performance chips that have reached internationally advanced levels, providing strong support for the competitiveness of Huawei's products. These examples demonstrate that China's complete industrial system can guarantee material supply at critical moments, cope with external technological blockades, and maintain the stability of industrial and supply chains. During the 15th Five-Year Plan period, facing a complex and ever-changing international landscape, China will continue to implement projects to enhance the security and reliability of key industrial chains and supply chains in the manufacturing sector, strengthen strategic planning and targeted policies, and build a modern industrial system that is independent, controllable, secure, reliable, and highly competitive, providing a more solid guarantee for national economic security.
A "incubator" for emerging industries. China's complete industrial system provides fertile ground for the development of strategic emerging industries and future industries, serving as an important source for nurturing new industries, new models, and new drivers of growth. Taking the artificial intelligence industry as an example, its development is inseparable from the cross-industry integration of multiple technologies and industries, and China's complete industrial system can provide comprehensive support. At the foundational level of artificial intelligence, China possesses powerful computing infrastructure and abundant data resources. At the technological level, China has made significant progress in artificial intelligence algorithms, machine learning, and natural language processing. At the application level, China's complete industrial system provides a wide range of application scenarios for artificial intelligence. In the manufacturing sector, artificial intelligence technology is widely used in production process optimization, quality inspection, and equipment maintenance, improving production efficiency and product quality. During the 15th Five-Year Plan period, with the in-depth development of the new round of scientific and technological revolution and industrial transformation, the advantages of China's complete industrial system in cultivating emerging industries will be further leveraged. By strengthening industrial collaborative innovation, expanding industrial development space, and unleashing industrial development potential, it will provide more solid support for the development of cutting-edge fields such as artificial intelligence, bio-manufacturing, commercial aerospace, low-altitude economy, and quantum technology, propelling China to a leading position in global competition in emerging industries.
IV. Abundant Talent Resources Constitute the Core Driving Force of Innovation
A "vanguard" for scientific and technological self-reliance and self-improvement. China's abundant talent resources play a pivotal role in the process of achieving scientific and technological self-reliance and self-improvement. Since the 14th Five-Year Plan, China's scientific and technological undertakings have achieved historical achievements and undergone historical changes, which are underpinned by the talent support of having the world's largest number of R&D personnel. In 2024, the number of highly cited scientists in China reached 1,405, a 50% increase compared to 2021, accounting for one-fifth of the world's total. In terms of talent cultivation, China has built the world's largest higher education system, with a total enrollment of 48.46 million in higher education in 2024. Chinese universities graduate over 5 million students in science, technology, and engineering fields annually, ranking first globally. In key core technology areas, China possesses a group of strategic scientific and technological talents, top-tier scientific leaders, and innovative teams. In the chip sector, SMIC's R&D team successfully overcame 14-nanometer process technology challenges, achieving mass production. This represents a major breakthrough in China's chip manufacturing technology, narrowing the gap with international advanced levels. During the 15th Five-Year Plan period, to further stimulate the innovative vitality of talents in scientific and technological breakthroughs, China will implement more proactive talent policies. This includes increasing the cultivation and support of basic research talents, establishing special research funds to encourage talents to conduct cutting-edge scientific research; improving the talent evaluation mechanism, placing greater emphasis on the quality and practical application value of research results, and reducing over-reliance on indicators such as the number of papers; and strengthening international talent exchange and cooperation to attract outstanding overseas science and engineering talents to return to China for innovation and entrepreneurship, thus gathering global wisdom and strength for scientific and technological self-reliance.
These talents are the "main force" in industrial upgrading. Taking the digital and green transformation of traditional industries as an example, a large number of talents with modern scientific and technological knowledge and skills are actively involved, injecting new vitality into the transformation and upgrading of traditional industries. In the steel industry, Baowu Group actively promotes digital transformation, achieving intelligent control and optimization of the production process by introducing advanced technologies such as big data and artificial intelligence. In this process, Baowu Group's technical talent team played a crucial role. They developed an intelligent steelmaking system, using sensors to collect production data in real time, and through data analysis and algorithmic models, achieved precise control of parameters such as temperature, composition, and pressure during the steelmaking process, improving steel quality and production efficiency, and reducing energy consumption and environmental pollution. During the 15th Five-Year Plan period, to promote a profound transformation from a "demographic dividend" to a "talent dividend," China will continue to optimize its human resource structure and strengthen vocational skills training and continuing education. This includes implementing large-scale vocational skills improvement actions, conducting targeted skills training based on the needs of different industries and positions to improve the professional skills of workers; and strengthening the alignment between higher education and industrial needs, optimizing disciplines and majors to develop and cultivate more high-quality talents who can adapt to the needs of emerging industries; promote the spirit of model workers, the spirit of labor, and the spirit of craftsmanship, creating a social atmosphere that respects labor and values skills, and stimulating the enthusiasm and initiative of workers to improve their skills.
The "pioneers" of market development. Entrepreneurs, as the core force of market development, play a leading role in promoting economic development and innovation. To stimulate the innovative vitality and entrepreneurial enthusiasm of entrepreneurs, China will continue to create a first-class business environment that is market-oriented, law-based, and internationalized. We will deepen reforms to streamline administration, delegate power, and improve services, simplify administrative approval processes, improve government service efficiency, and reduce institutional transaction costs for enterprises; strengthen intellectual property protection, severely crack down on infringement, and provide legal protection for enterprise innovation; improve the policy support system, increase support for small and medium-sized enterprises, and encourage enterprises to carry out technological innovation and market development; promote the entrepreneurial spirit, establish role models of outstanding entrepreneurs, and create a good social atmosphere that respects entrepreneurs and supports their development. During the 15th Five-Year Plan period, entrepreneurs will bravely stand at the forefront, continuing to be explorers, organizers, and leaders of innovative development, promoting innovation in production organization, technology, and markets, winning the initiative in market competition with high-quality products and services, and making new and greater contributions to China's economic and social development.
V. Four Major Advantages Working Together to Create a New Chapter in Chinese Modernization
The advantages of the socialist system with Chinese characteristics, the advantages of a super-large market, the advantages of a complete industrial system, and the advantages of abundant talent resources together constitute the strong foundation and solid support for Chinese development during the 15th Five-Year Plan period. These four advantages are closely interconnected and mutually reinforcing, forming an organic whole, which will enable China to gain strategic initiative in a complex and ever-changing international environment and inject strong impetus into achieving the grand goal of socialist modernization.
The advantages of the socialist system with Chinese characteristics are the fundamental guarantee for the full realization of the other three advantages. The centralized and unified leadership of the Party ensures the stability and continuity of national development strategies, providing policy guidance and institutional environment for the release of the advantages of a super-large market. Under the guarantee of institutional advantages, the state can guide resources to converge on emerging industries and key areas through macroeconomic regulation, stimulate the vitality of business entities, and promote the prosperous development of a super-large market. The advantages of a super-large market provide broad space and strong impetus for the full realization of the advantages of a complete industrial system. The enormous market demand attracts various enterprises to participate, promoting industrial agglomeration and development, and forming a complete industrial system. At the same time, market competition pressure also drives enterprises to continuously innovate, improve product quality and production efficiency, and promote industrial upgrading. The advantage of a complete industrial system is the material foundation that allows the advantage of abundant human resources to be fully realized. A complete industrial system provides a broad development space and practical platform for various talents, attracting talent to converge. Talent plays a key role in industrial development, driving technological innovation and upgrading. The advantage of abundant human resources is the core driving force for the continuous improvement of the socialist system with Chinese characteristics, the sustained prosperity of the super-large market, and the optimization and upgrading of the complete industrial system, continuously injecting creative momentum into economic and social development.
We must cherish these four advantages and fully leverage their synergistic effects. Under the strong leadership of the Party, we must continuously improve the socialist system with Chinese characteristics, providing a more solid institutional guarantee for economic and social development; further tap the potential of the super-large market, stimulate domestic demand, and promote the formation of a new development pattern with the domestic circulation as the main body and domestic and international circulations mutually reinforcing each other; consolidate and enhance the complete industrial system, accelerate industrial upgrading and innovative development, and strengthen the resilience and security of industrial and supply chains; and increase efforts in talent cultivation and introduction, creating a favorable environment for talent development, allowing the creative vitality of various talents to burst forth and their intelligence to fully flourish. As long as we continuously strengthen these four advantages, we will certainly be able to effectively cope with various risks and challenges on the road ahead, firmly grasp the historical initiative, open up a new realm of development in the face of the profound changes in the world, and write a new chapter in the construction of Chinese modernization.
(Author: Director of the China Modernization Research Center, Central Party School (National Academy of Governance), National Level Professor)
Editor: Ma Li
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